curie: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1/C2 (specialized technical/scientific term)Technical, scientific, historical. Not used in everyday conversation.
Quick answer
What does “curie” mean?
The quantity of a radioactive substance in which the number of atomic disintegrations per second equals that of one gram of radium.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The quantity of a radioactive substance in which the number of atomic disintegrations per second equals that of one gram of radium; a unit of radioactivity.
Historically used to measure radioactivity, now largely replaced by the becquerel (SI unit), but still encountered in certain fields like nuclear medicine, historical documents, and radiation safety contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in usage; both use the term identically within scientific contexts.
Connotations
Carries connotations of pioneering nuclear physics, historical science, and potentially dangerous levels of radiation.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both varieties, confined to specialized fields. The SI unit becquerel is now the standard.
Grammar
How to Use “curie” in a Sentence
The sample had an activity of [NUMBER] curies.The source was measured at [NUMBER] microcuries.Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “curie” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The curie value was alarmingly high.
- A curie-equivalent dose was calculated.
American English
- The curie measurement was critical for the safety report.
- They used a curie-standard source for calibration.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Possibly in contexts of nuclear energy liability, waste management, or safety compliance reports.
Academic
Common in physics, chemistry, nuclear engineering, and medical radiation textbooks, especially historical contexts.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Primary context. Used in nuclear medicine (e.g., dose calibration), health physics, radiation protection, and environmental monitoring (often as pCi/L for radon).
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “curie”
Strong
Neutral
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “curie”
- Pronouncing it as /ˈkɜːr.i/ (like 'curry').
- Capitalizing it when referring to the unit ('a Curie of radiation' is incorrect).
- Confusing it with the modern SI unit, the becquerel.
- Using it for non-radioactive measurements.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
While the curie is accepted for use with the International System of Units (SI), it is not an SI unit itself. The becquerel is the official SI unit. The curie remains in use in some fields, particularly in the United States in nuclear regulations and medicine.
The becquerel, representing one disintegration per second, is part of the coherent SI system, making calculations simpler and more consistent with other scientific units. The curie (3.7×10^10 Bq) is an inconveniently large, non-coherent unit derived from a historical standard.
The danger depends entirely on the type of radiation (alpha, beta, gamma), the energy, and the proximity to the source. One curie of a short-lived, highly penetrating gamma emitter like cobalt-60 is extremely dangerous without shielding. One curie of a weak alpha emitter like natural uranium is far less hazardous externally but dangerous if ingested.
'Curie' (capitalized) refers to the scientists Pierre Curie, Marie Curie, or their family. 'curie' (lowercase) is the unit of radioactivity named in their honor.
The quantity of a radioactive substance in which the number of atomic disintegrations per second equals that of one gram of radium.
Curie is usually technical, scientific, historical. not used in everyday conversation. in register.
Curie: in British English it is pronounced /ˈkjʊə.ri/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkjʊr.i/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of Marie CURIE, the scientist who worked with RADIUM. The CURIE is the unit named after her for measuring how RADIOACTIVE something is.
Conceptual Metaphor
A MEASURE OF HIDDEN POWER/DANGER (like 'volts' for electricity, but for invisible radiation).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the modern SI unit that has largely replaced the curie?