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Marie Curie was a pioneering physicist and chemist, renowned for her groundbreaking research on radioactivity. Born in Poland in 1867, she moved to Paris to study and conduct her research. Her immense contributions to science earned her two Nobel Prizes. In 1903, she shared the Nobel Prize in Physics with her husband, Pierre Curie, and Henri Becquerel for their collective work on radioactivity.
Her discoveries didn't stop there. In 1911, she was honored with a Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering two new elements, radium and polonium, the latter named in tribute to her homeland, Poland. Curie's experiments and understanding of radioactive substances laid the foundation for much of our modern knowledge on atomic physics and chemistry.
Her work not only transformed scientific theories but also influenced various practical fields such as medicine, through the development of radioactive isotopes for treatment and diagnostics.

Alpha particles are a type of radiation that consist of helium nuclei, meaning each particle contains two protons and two neutrons. This configuration gives them a positive charge, which plays an essential role in their interactions with other particles.
Being positively charged, alpha particles are attracted to negatively charged plates when introduced to an electric field. This characteristic is crucial for understanding how alpha particles behave in various settings, including their applications in radiation therapy and smoke detectors.

• Consist of helium nuclei: 2 protons + 2 neutrons
• Positively charged
• Attracted to negative plates in electric fields

Despite their mass and charge, alpha particles have low penetration power and can be stopped by just a sheet of paper. However, they can cause significant damage to biological tissues if ingested or inhaled, emphasizing the need for proper safety measures.

Beta particles are another crucial type of radiation encountered in radioactivity. They are high-speed electrons, and because electrons have a negative charge, beta particles also carry this characteristic. When beta particles pass through an electric field, they are attracted to positively charged plates due to their negative nature.
The emission of beta particles results from neutron-to-proton transformation within an unstable nucleus, which makes beta decay an essential process for changing one element into another in radioactive environments.

• Composed of high-speed electrons
• Negatively charged
• Attracted to positive plates in electric fields

Beta particles are more penetrating than alpha particles, capable of passing through paper, but they can still be blocked by materials like aluminum. While they are more penetrating, their lower mass relative to alpha particles makes them safer to handle under controlled conditions.

Gamma rays represent the third type of radiation that a radioactive substance can emit. Unlike alpha and beta particles, gamma rays are not particles but waves of electromagnetic energy. This lack of mass means they carry no charge and, therefore, are unaffected by electric and magnetic fields.
Gamma rays have the highest penetration power among the three types of radiation. They can pass through several centimeters of lead and require substantial shielding to be blocked effectively.

• Electromagnetic waves
• No charge and no mass
• Unaffected by electric and magnetic fields

Because of their high penetration abilities, gamma rays are used in many fields, such as medical imaging and treatment, sterilization of medical equipment, and food irradiation. While extremely useful, their high energy levels require stringent safety precautions to protect against potential damage to biological tissues and cells.