polonium

[ puh-loh-nee-uhm ]

noun

, Chemistry.

1. a radioactive element discovered by Pierre and Marie Curie in 1898; : Po; : 84; : about 210.

polonium

/ pəˈləʊnɪəm /

noun

1. a very rare radioactive element that occurs in trace amounts in uranium ores. The isotope polonium-210 is produced artificially and is used as a lightweight power source in satellites and to eliminate static electricity in certain industries. Symbol: Po; atomic no: 84; half-life of most stable isotope, ²⁰⁹Po: 103 years; valency: –2, 0, 2, 4, or 6; relative density (alpha modification): 9.32; melting pt: 254°C; boiling pt: 962°C

polonium

/ pə-lō′nē-əm /

1. A very rare, naturally radioactive, silvery-gray or black metalloid element. It is produced in extremely small amounts by the radioactive decay of radium or the bombardment of bismuth or lead with neutrons. Atomic number 84; melting point 254°C; boiling point 962°C; specific gravity 9.20; valence 2, 4.
2. See Periodic Table

Word History and Origins

Origin of polonium¹

1895–1900; < New Latin, equivalent to polon- (< Medieval Latin Polonia Poland) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of polonium¹

C19: New Latin, from Medieval Latin Polōnia Poland; named in honour of the Polish nationality of its discoverer, Marie Curie

Example Sentences

Bismuth is a heavy metal that sits between toxic lead and polonium on the periodic table.

From Science News

She discovered the element radium, and later polonium, near the end of the 19th century.

From Nautilus

Once the polonium had been recognized, police were able to trace the source of the poison to the Millennium hotel in Mayfair.

From The Daily Beast

That would be Nobel Prize winner Marie Curie, the gal who discovered radioactive polonium.

From The Daily Beast

Did he understand that he would now have to live with a sword—not of Damocles but of polonium—hanging over his head?

From The Daily Beast

Polonium is also at the center of a major plot line currently playing out on the daytime soap opera General Hospital.

From The Daily Beast

Was the Palestinian leader poisoned by radioactive polonium?

From The Daily Beast

One such reaction uses alpha particles emitted by polonium-210 (or some other alpha emitter) to bombard the element beryllium.

From Project Gutenberg

Four successive alpha captures would give Polonium 203, not mercury.

From Project Gutenberg

It is well known that Pierre and Marie Curie used this new-found radioactivity to identify the new elements polonium and radium.

From Project Gutenberg

Polonium, named by Mme. Curie in honor of her native country, was the third radioactive element to be discovered.

From Project Gutenberg

Her first discovery was that of the substance polonium—so named by Madame Curie after her native country, Poland.

From Project Gutenberg