1.1 Historical development of radiochemistry

Radiochemistry's journey began with Becquerel's accidental discovery of radioactivity in 1896. This sparked a scientific revolution, leading to groundbreaking work by Marie and Pierre Curie, who discovered radium and polonium.

The field's importance grew dramatically in the 20th century, culminating in the Manhattan Project. This secret wartime effort harnessed radiochemistry to develop nuclear weapons, forever changing the course of history and science.

Early Pioneers of Radiochemistry

Discovery of Radioactivity

Top images from around the web for Discovery of Radioactivity

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  El devenir de la ciencia: Radiactividad: ¿Un descubrimiento casual? View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

Top images from around the web for Discovery of Radioactivity

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  El devenir de la ciencia: Radiactividad: ¿Un descubrimiento casual? View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia, la enciclopedia libre View original

  Is this image relevant?

• 

  Henri Becquerel - Wikipedia View original

  Is this image relevant?

1 of 3

• Henri Becquerel accidentally discovered radioactivity in 1896 while studying phosphorescent materials
• Becquerel found that uranium salts emitted rays that could penetrate paper and cause fluorescence
• This discovery led to further research into radioactivity and its properties
• Becquerel's work laid the foundation for the field of radiochemistry and nuclear physics

Contributions of Marie and Pierre Curie

• Marie Curie coined the term "radioactivity" to describe the phenomenon discovered by Becquerel
• Marie and Pierre Curie worked together to investigate the radioactive properties of various substances
• They discovered that the radioactivity of uranium ores was greater than expected based on the uranium content alone
• This led them to hypothesize the existence of new radioactive elements within the ores
• Marie and Pierre Curie's research greatly expanded the understanding of radioactivity and its potential applications

Elements Discovered Through Radiochemistry

Radium

• Marie and Pierre Curie discovered the element radium in 1898 through their radiochemical research
• Radium was isolated from pitchblende, a uranium-rich ore
• The discovery of radium was significant because it exhibited much stronger radioactivity than uranium
• Radium became widely used in medical applications such as cancer treatment (brachytherapy) and as a luminescent material in watch dials and instrument panels

Polonium

• Marie and Pierre Curie also discovered the element polonium in 1898, named after Marie's native country, Poland
• Polonium was the first element discovered through radiochemical methods
• It is an extremely rare and highly radioactive element, found in trace amounts in uranium ores
• Polonium has been used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators (RTGs) to power spacecraft and in antistatic devices

Radiochemistry in the 20th Century

The Manhattan Project

• The Manhattan Project was a secret U.S. government research project during World War II that developed the first nuclear weapons
• Radiochemistry played a crucial role in the Manhattan Project, as scientists worked to purify and isolate radioactive materials (uranium and plutonium) for use in atomic bombs
• The project brought together many of the world's leading scientists, including radiochemists, physicists, and engineers
• The success of the Manhattan Project demonstrated the immense power and potential of nuclear energy, both for military and peaceful purposes
• The development of nuclear weapons during the Manhattan Project had far-reaching consequences, ushering in the atomic age and shaping global politics for decades to come