What is recorded here?
Pierre and Marie Curie tracked radioactivity through chemical fractions of pitchblende. An active fraction associated with bismuth led them to propose another element, conditionally named polonium. A mineral can emit more radiation than its uranium content predicts. Measurements of air conductivity let the authors follow the excess activity through chemical separations. The proposed element remained to be confirmed. This paper provides the experimental clue and inference, independently of their later radium work.
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Scientific scope
The July 1898 report establishes activity enrichment and an element inference. It does not report pure isolation, complete chemical separation or an identified new spectral line.
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People and systems
Pierre Curie; Marie Curie
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English catalogue narrative
Curie and Curie: radioactive fractionation and the polonium proposal
Pierre and Marie Curie tracked radioactivity through chemical fractions of pitchblende. An active fraction associated with bismuth led them to propose another element, conditionally named polonium.
A mineral can emit more radiation than its uranium content predicts. Measurements of air conductivity let the authors follow the excess activity through chemical separations. The proposed element remained to be confirmed. This paper provides the experimental clue and inference, independently of their later radium work.
Scientific scope
The July 1898 report establishes activity enrichment and an element inference. It does not report pure isolation, complete chemical separation or an identified new spectral line.
People and systems
Pierre Curie; Marie Curie