What is the origin of word radioactive?

The word "radioactive" was coined by Marie Curie in the late 19th century. She and her husband, Pierre Curie, were pioneers in the field of radioactivity research.

Here's a breakdown of its origin:

* "Radio" comes from the Latin word "radius", meaning "ray" or "beam". It refers to the fact that radioactive materials emit invisible rays of energy.

* "Active" signifies that these materials are actively emitting these rays.

Therefore, "radioactive" literally means "emitting rays".

It's important to note that the Curies didn't discover radioactivity itself. It was discovered in 1896 by Henri Becquerel, but the Curies were instrumental in its study and characterization. They gave the phenomenon its name and extensively researched its properties.