polonium
pronunciation
How to pronounce polonium in British English:
UK [pəˈləʊniəm]
How to pronounce polonium in American English:
US [pəˈloʊniəm]
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- Noun:
- a radioactive metallic element that is similar to tellurium and bismuth; occurs in uranium ores but can be produced by bombarding bismuth with neutrons in a nuclear reactor
Word Origin
- polonium (n.)
- radioactive element, 1898, discovered by Marie Curie (nee Skłodowska), 1867-1934, and her husband, and named for her native country, Poland (Modern Latin Polonia). With element-name ending -ium.
Example
- 1. However , bochud is quoted by cnn as saying that arafat 's medical records don 't necessarily support the polonium theory .
- 2. The curies succeeded in discovering polonium in 1898 .
- 3. At the time it was thought to be a state-backed operation as polonium is most likely to be sourced from a nuclear reactor .
- 4. That compresses the plutonium while it is simultaneously bombarded with neutrons from a trigger made of polonium , and thus begins the second stage .
- 5. Andrei lugovoi the man who allegedly slipped radioactive polonium into former kgb agent alexander litvinenko 's tea enjoys the personal protection of putin .