Definition

A chemical element that is a radioactive metal, found in very small amounts and produced from the decay of radium. It has several forms, known as isotopes, and is used in various scientific applications.

Example

Polonium is used in some types of nuclear batteries and as a heat source in space probes.

Conversation

Have you ever heard of polonium?

Yeah, I read about it in a science article recently.

It's such a rare element, right?

Definitely, and it's pretty dangerous because of its radioactivity.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Polonium is derived from the Latin 'Polonia', meaning Poland, as it was discovered by the scientist Marie Curie, who was of Polish origin. The suffix '-ium' is commonly used in chemistry to denote elements. Thus, polonium refers to the element named after Poland.

Memory Tip

Think of the element being named after Poland ('Polonia') — that's how you remember that polonium is connected to Poland.

Visually Confused Words