Marie+Curie

=toc= = = **__Marie curie__**

= Biography = Maria Sklodowska (Marie Curie) was born in Warsaw, the city that had once been the capital of Poland (Russia), on November 7th , 1867 and died on July 4th , 1934. Her parents were Bronislawa and Wladyslaw Sklodowska. Marie went to Paris in France were she had worked in the Sorbonne University. Her Profession was in Physics and Chemistry. She was awarded a Nobel Prize in both fields and discovered the "polonium" and the "radium" (= radioactivity)

Maria Sklodowska, or as her future name- **Marie Curie**, was the daughter of a professor of science and was the youngest of five children. At the age of 18 Marie's family became very poor, and, Marie became a governess to support her family. She helped pay for her sister to study in Paris. Later, she joined her sister in Paris to study mathematics, chemistry and physics. She began studying at the Sorbonne University in 1891, and was the first woman to teach there. At the University of Paris she met Pierre Curie, who taught physics. Marie and Pierre soon married, and teamed up to conduct research on radioactive substances.

Marie and Pierre began a search for the source of the radioactivity and discovered two highly radioactive elements, “radium” and “polonium.” They won the 1903 Nobel Prize in physics for their discovery. However, in 1906 Pierre died in a road accident, leaving her alone.

Marie Curie continued her work on radioactive elements and won the 1911 Nobel Prize in chemistry, for isolating radium and studying its chemical properties. When the First World War broke out, Madame Curie thought X-rays would help to locate bullets and facilitate surgery. It was also important not to move the wounded, so she invented X-ray vans and trained 150 female attendants.

She was a great, brilliant woman. She was only recognized for her true value when she received the second Nobel Prize, all alone. However, she paid for it dearly as it also gave her the cancer that eventually took her life. At the age of 67 Marie Curie died of Leukemia, thought to have been brought on by exposure to the high levels of radiation involved in her research.

In a way, Marie Currie gave her life up for science and we appreciate her contribution. If she got cancer as the result of her research, today her research is helping cancer patients cope with their disease. Here at the very university she taught in, we are naming the cancer research center of Sorbonne University the Marie Currie cancer center.

= **Identity card** =

Full name: Marie Curie (Maria Sklodowska) Parents' names: Wladyslaw & Bronislawa Year of Birth: November 7th, 1867-July 4th, 1934 Where Born: Warsaw, Poland (Russia) Place of work: Sorbonne University Location: Paris France Profession: Physics, Chemistry What she is famous for: She was awarded a Nobel Prize in two different fields and discovered the "polonium" and the "radium" (= radioactivity)

=** Questionnaire **=

1. **Why did you want to be a scientist?** I wanted to be a scientist mostly because I was born in a family that grew up on science, since our father was a professor of science. We all were attracted to science following our father footsteps, and I always dreamed of becoming a scientist.

2. **Did you have any difficulties to become a scientist?** Yes, I had. My family became very poor. At the age of 18, I became a governess to support my family. I began studying at the Sorbonne University in 1891, and I was the first woman to teach there, but this wasn't my dream.

After I met Pierre, my husband, we were able to work together on our discoveries.
 * 3. **** Despite all the difficulties of society how did you manage to become a scientist? **

Pierre Curie taught physics at the Sorbonne University in Paris. I met him there. Soon we married, and we have two little girls.
 * 4 **** . Where did you meet your husband? **

I have discovered two highly radioactive elements, “radium” and “polonium”.
 * 5. **** What were your discoveries? **

I started my discoveries after Henri Becquerel discovered the radioactivity in 1896. I have got the Noble prize for physics in 1903.
 * 6. **** How long have you worked on your discoveries? **

In 1896 Henri Becquerel discovered the radioactivity. This discovery inspired me and Pierre in ours researches and analysis which led to the discovery of another two highly radioactive elements.
 * 7. **** Why did you start working on radioactivity? **

I call my elements that I discovered “radium” and “polonium”.
 * 8. **** How did you call the elements you discovered? **

“Radium”, named after the radioactivity, and “Polonium”, named after the country of my birth.
 * 9. **** Why did you call the elements you discovered that way? **

In the "World War I" (1914-1918), I initiated the use of a Rentgen machine to help the injured of the war. Today my discoveries help cure the cancer disease.
 * 10. **** What are the ** ** applications of your discoveries? **

(The irony is that Marie died from the same thing that saves life today!)

= Speech = Ladies and Gentlemen, Today we remember a great woman, a great person, a great scientist. She was inspirited by her father who was a scientist too. She suffered a difficult and poor childhood. Did she stop there? No, not Marie Currie. She is a woman who didn't stop. The discovery of radium delivered her and her husband, Pierre, the first Nobel Prize in Physics. However, much of the credit was given to her husband, and she was considered the woman at his side. She didn't stop for a moment. This cost her health. She lost her husband and suffered terrible rumors that she having an affair with a married scientist. She paid for this dearly, by losing some other prize offers. Did she give up? She went straight on. She continued to refine the substance from the lead and managed to get the pure elements of Polonium and Radium. She was finally recognized for her true value and received a second Nobel Prize, all alone. However, she paid for it dearly as it also gave her the cancer that eventually took her life. In a way, Marie Currie gave her life up for science and we appreciate her contribution. If she got cancer as the result of her research, today her research is helping cancer patients cope with their disease.

Here, at the very university she taught in, we are naming the cancer research center of Sorbonne University the Marie Currie cancer center.

= Rationale = = = The teacher chose to write about Women of Valor. We chose to write about Marie Curie worked and received recognition in the field of physics and chemistry. She was the only woman in the world who won two Nobel Prizes in two different fields.

We found her story very interesting and inspiring. We feel that many others should follow in her footsteps. Maybe we will have two Nobel Prizes won by a woman in Israel.

= Reflection: = = = 1. We learned that Marie Currie was a great woman that although all the difficulties of the society, learned science. She even won two Nobel Prize of chemistry and physics. 2. Has the work improved your:

£ searching skills ý summarizing skills ý writing skills ý vocabulary level £ English language skills

3. What was difficult for you in the paper? It took us a long time to find Marie's parents name. Another difficult we had is that the work was once deleted. 4. a. Did you have enough time for the paper? Yes b. Did you get enough help and support from your teacher? Yes c. Did you understand the instructions? Yes d. Were the assignments clear and fair? Sometimes 5. We enjoyed working on this project because it was very fanny to work together. We learn so much, and we adequate all the work in the time we have ration to it.

= = = Bibliography = 1. "Marie Curie the Nobel Prize in Physics 1903." //nobelprize.org//. 2010. The Nobel Foundation 1903, Web. 16/9/09. . 2. Pasachoff, Naomi. "Marie curie and the science of radioactivity." //aip.org//. 2010. Oxford University Press, Web. 16/9/09. . 3. Chew, Robin. "Marie Curie." //lucidcafe': library.// 2010. World-Wide-Web, Web. 16/9/09. . 4. "Marie Curie and Radioactive Elements." //about.com: inventors//. 2010. The New York Times Company, Web. 16/9/09. . 5. "Marie Curie." //wikipedia.org//. 31 December 2009. Wikimedia Foundation, Web. 16/9/09. 