microcurie

[ mahy-kruh-kyoor-ee, mahy-kroh-kyoo-ree ]

noun

, Physics, Chemistry.

1. a unit of radioactivity, equal to one millionth of a curie; 3.70 × 10 4 disintegrations per second. : μCi, μc

Word History and Origins

Origin of microcurie¹

First recorded in 1910–15; micro- + curie

Example Sentences

A microcurie is a millionth of a curie, which is a unit of measurement for radiation.

From Washington Post

He assumed that Lawrence, in his slapdash way with numbers, had mislaid a decimal point and meant a microcurie, a thousand times less.

From Literature

Nuclear Regulatory Commission of 30 microcurie, which is roughly 50 millisievert per dose, there would be an estimated total increase in cancer risk of 0.2%.

From Wall Street Journal

Officials toss around words and phrases like acute radiation syndrome, core damage, decay heat, fission, fuel rods, full meltdown, fusion, inert gas, kilovolt, lixiviant, microcurie, nuclear coolants, partial meltdown, teletherapy and watthour as if the public has a clue.

From BusinessWeek

One clam proved to contain one-tenth of a microcurie of cobalt 60; the other had one-third of a microcurie.

From Time Magazine Archive