BIOGRAPHY OF MADAM MARY CURIE

MADAM MARY CURIE

Introduction

 

Mary Curie with her dedication, patience enthusiasm and

non-stop efforts crossed the dividing line of sorrows and difficulties,

and under adverse circumstances completed her research

on radioactive substances.

She was born in Warsaw, capital of Poland on 7th November,

1867. She was named Manya Sklodowaska. The name of

her elder sister was Bronya. Her father was a teacher of Mathematics

and Physics in a higher secondary school. He was a great

self-respecting patriot. He took active part in the free-dom fight

of Poland, and on account of this he was dismissed from

service. For want of any other means of livelihood, he had to

face great difficulties. It is said that calamities never come

alone. Manya lost her mother, when she was of eleven years of

age, clouds of sorrow enveloped the whole family.

Service for Livelihood

After mother’s death, the sisters did not lose courage. Both

of them continued their studies. Manya surprised everyone by

securing first position at the secondary examination. She was of

16 years only then on this success, she was awarded a gold

medal.

As a matter of fact, both the sisters were of sharp intellect

from the very beginning. Those days, people of Poland went for

higher education, either to England or to France. Both the

sisters wanted to study medical science in Paris. But in view of

the adverse conditions of life and family, their father was very

much worried. There is way, where is will Manya pacified her

father, and made up her mind to do some job and be selfsupporting.

She took upon herself the responsibility of her elder

sister Bronga’s education as well.

She began earning money by looking after children of rich

families. She spent the major part of her earnings on Bronya’s

education in Paris. Bronya was studying medical science in

Paris.

Manya had to face many difficulties in course of her

service. That man’s son, in whose house she worked, became

attracted towards Manya. He wanted to Marry her, but Marry

was inclined to get higher education. There was every chance of

her education being adversely effected after marriage. Manya,

therefore, did not accept his proposal. She had to leave service

in that house. She began working in another family.

As a consequence of Manya’s hard work for many years, her

elder sister completed her study of medical science. She married

and began to live in Paris. She purchased a flat there as well.

Higher Education in Paris

In 1891, at the age of 24 years Manya shifted to Paris. She

got herself registered in Sobon University. Her elder sister

Bronya wanted Manya to live with her. But Manya wanted to

live freely and she did not like to live with her elder sister. She

took on rent a small room, in which there was no proper

arrangement for air and sun. During winters Paris was covered

with snow every now and then, during which people kept their

houses warm by burning coal. But for want of enough money,

Manya burnt only little coal and spent difficult nights. In absence

of hot water, she had to use cold water in domestic work.

To meet her expenses on education and daily needs, she had

to work at more than one place. She used to get unconscious at

times on account of pain of hunger. There was no slackening of

Manya’s enthusiasm, so many difficulties notwithstanding. She

continued her progress towards her goal.

During those days, she had opportunities of hearing lectures

of famous Physicists Edmund Bounty Sri Gravial Lipman in the

university. As a result thereof, she got interested in Physics. In

1893 she secured first class first at the examination of Physics.

At the examination of Mathematics, she got second position.

Being pleased with her success and hard work, Physicist of

Sorbo University Paris, Sri Lippman appointed her as his

assistant in research work. The people of France had difficulty

in pronouncing her name. They, therefore, called her Mary. Thus

Manya. Sklodowaska came to be known by the name Mary.
 

Married Life

During that period, Mary used to go to the house of her

fiend, of Poland, living in Paris. By-chance she had acquaintance

there with a young man, named Pairey Curie. He was

interested in research in science. He too was a scholar of

Mathematics and Physics. Those days, Piary was busy in more

than one scientific inventions. By nature he was peaceful,

simple and serious. His nature was much like that of Mary.

Both got married on 25th July, 1895. After marriage, she was

known as Mary Curie.

Partnership in Research Work

Mary was very happy by getting Piarey’s life partner Piarey

was a teacher. His salary was meagre. Both of them, therefore,

found it difficult to lead life.

Both of them established a small laboratory at their residence,

the expenses of which they had to bear with a part of

their small income.

Those days, in 1896, Baikural was fully involved in one of

his research works. He was of the view that some rays were

emitted by a heavy substance Uranium. Mary Curie chose this

subject of research for the degree of Ph.D. She got busy in her

research. She found out that—

(i) From Uranium some rays emitted.

(ii) Besides Uranium, Thorium also had the quality of

Radioactivity.

Invention of Radium

Curie gave birth to a female child in 1897. She was named

Irene Besides working in the laboratory, Curie had to look after

her child as also she had to spend some money on her as well.

This made her economic budget more difficult. But the Curie

couple continued their research work with indomitable enthusiasm

and courage. Uranium is a very valuable substance. Curie

couple did not have enough money to purchase it. In course of

their research, found a Radioactive substance, Pitchblendy,

which is a mineral of black-grey colour. This is more Radioactive

than pure Uranium. Both of them were very much

satisfied with this research. In their research work, there were

lot of financial difficulties. After separation of substance

pitchblendy, the substance is considered useless, and its value

becomes very low. But the Curie couple did not have enough

money even to purchase separated Pitchblendy. Any how, they

managed money on loan, and got Pitchblendy from Austria. The

extent of hard work and dedication can be assessed by this

simple fact that they were able to obtain only 2 milligrams of

radium from 2 tonnes of Uranium by the chemical process of

elimination of diseveral substances. In course of research, the

obtained another radioactive substance, which was named after

the birth place of Madam Curie in Poland, as ‘Polonium’.

Steps of Success

In course of study of qualities of radium, they pointed out

that from this substance, very fine rays are emitted, which are

positively charged, negatively charged, and uncharged. These

particles are called

β-particles, α-particles and X-rays. Their

power of penetration and masses are different from one another.

There is possibility of treatment of many diseases with these

particles. In honour of study of qualities of radium, Mary was

awarded the degree of Doctor of Science in 1903, and was also

awarded the Devi Medal of Royal Society. For work on

Radioactivity, Nobel Prize of 1903 was awarded jointly to Mary

Curie, Peare Curie and Baikural.

Death of Husband

19th April, 1906 was the day of great calamity for Mary

Curie, when her husband Peare Curie died in a road accident.

Mary was almost on the death of Piary Curie, who was not only

her husband but a co-worker in scientific pursuits. Blasing this

bearing blow bravery, she continued her research work. She had

to pass through very difficult days, as besides research work,

she had to give time to her two daughters Irin and Eve. At this

time Madam Curie was appointed Professor of Physics in the

place of her husband.

Nobel Prize for Chemistry

Madam Curie was honoured with Nobel Prize of Chemistry

in 1911, for research of radium and Polonium, their manufacture

in pure state, determining of atomic weight and studying

the qualities thereof. Thus she was the first lady to receive the

Nobel Prize and the first person to get it twice. Before this, no

persons had received the Nobel Prize twice.

Public service of Madam Curie

After the research of radioactive substances, Madam Curie

told to people the uses of it. She delivered lectures in different

universities. She established a Radium Institute in her birth

place, Warsaw, Poland in 1932. She provided different equipments

to the Radium Institute established by the Government of

France. Her daughter, Irene Curie and her husband Frederic

Joliot achieved success in producing artificial radioactive substances

by bombardment of Alpha particles on elements. For this

Irene Julio Curie were awarded the 1935 Nobel Prize for

Chemistry.

Madam Curie could not avoid bad effects of Radioactive

substances on her body. Due to its bad effects, she had

Luchemia. She died of it on 4th July, 1934.

By dint of hard work and indomitable zeal, she reached the

highest peak of success. She lived a simple life and served the

humanity. The world of science will always remember Madam

Curie.