Question

use the text to compare and contrast marie curie and irène curie-joliot.
the proverb \like mother, like daughter\ certainly applies to marie curie and her daughter irène curie-joliot. like her mother, irène married a fellow scientist, frederic joliot. while maries work with her husband pierre led to the discovery of polonium and radium, irène and frederic specialized in nuclear physics and discovered artificial radioactivity.
marie was the first woman to win a nobel prize, and when irène went on to win one as well, marie and irène became the first parent-child pair to win nobels. unfortunately, irène faced discrimination in the same way that marie did. just as marie was denied a seat in the french academy of science simply because she was a woman, irène was also denied forty years later. sadly, years of working with radioactivity took a toll on the women. mother and daughter both died due to exposure to radiation.

Explanation:

• Discovered polonium and radium: The text clearly states “Marie’s work with her husband Pierre led to the discovery of polonium and radium”. So Marie Curie discovered polonium and radium, while Irène Curie - Joliot did not.
• Won a Nobel Prize: “Marie was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, and when Irène went on to win one as well, Marie and Irène became the first parent - child pair to win Nobels”. So both won a Nobel Prize.
• Faced discrimination: “Just as Marie was denied a seat in the French Academy of Science simply because she was a woman, Irène was also denied forty years later”. So both faced discrimination.
• Died due to exposure to radiation: “Mother and daughter both died due to exposure to radiation”. So both died due to exposure to radiation.

Answer:

• Discovered polonium and radium: Marie Curie (✔), Irène Curie - Joliot (✖)
• Won a Nobel Prize: Marie Curie (✔), Irène Curie - Joliot (✔)
• Faced discrimination: Marie Curie (✔), Irène Curie - Joliot (✔)
• Died due to exposure to radiation: Marie Curie (✔), Irène Curie - Joliot (✔)