A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science and Humanity Class 8 English BOSEM solutions

The chapter “A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science and Humanity” Class 8 English Chapter 13 prescribed by BOSEM, revolves around the extraordinary dedication, perseverance, and courage of Madame Curie in her pursuit of scientific knowledge and her contributions to humanity. It highlights her journey from poverty to becoming a renowned scientist, her groundbreaking discoveries of radium and polonium, and her unwavering commitment to science despite numerous challenges. The story emphasizes the importance of resilience, dedication to one’s goals, and the impact of scientific discoveries on the welfare of humanity.

Chapter Name: A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science and Humanity
Subject: Modern English
Lesson: 13
Class: 8
Board: Board Of Secondary Education Manipur (BOSEM/BSEM)
Contents: Chapter Summary, Questions and Answers.

1. Chapter Summary: A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science and Humanity

History is full of extraordinary men and women who worked with great courage, commitment, dedication, and singleness of purpose in their effort to attain what seemed to be unattainable. To name a few, Columbus, Vasco-da-Gama, Robert Peary, Sir Ronald Ross, Hillary Tenzing, Armstrong, etc., were driven by an indomitable spirit to uncover the truth and the mystery of the universe.

One such woman who dedicated her life to the cause of science and the welfare of humanity is Madame Curie, the discoverer of radium. Born as Marja Sklowdaska in Warsaw, Poland on November 7, 1867, she came from a poor family, and her father could not afford to send her to Paris to study science. So she took a job as a governess and finally went to Sorbonne, the University of Paris, to study science. There she lived only on bread, butter, and tea, so she often fainted for lack of food.

Despite all these, she topped her class with honours in Physics and Mathematics. Then at the University, she met a Frenchman Pierre Curie, a brilliant but poor scientist. Their friendship turned into love, and they were married in less than a year in 1895. After the birth of their daughter, they set up a laboratory in a wooden shed near their flat.

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Marie was especially interested in a substance called Uranium, which was obtained from a very expensive substance called pitchblende. Uranium was known to give off very powerful rays by which men could see through many substances. Marie discovered that after obtaining Uranium, what was left was even more powerful. Two new substances giving off these rays were found, but they could not obtain either of them. They called one Polonium in honour of her country Poland and the other Radium.

 Radium is the most powerful of the radioactive elements, which can penetrate substances that are opaque to light. Another French scientist, Henri Becquerel, discovered in 1896 that uranium possessed this property. But when Marie and Pierre discovered Radium, it possessed much higher degrees. The Curies began to work with greater enthusiasm, but they were very poor, and pitchblende was an extremely expensive substance; they could not afford to buy large quantities.

However, with courage, she faced all the miseries of a life of poverty and carried on her research along with her husband, who loved and supported her. Then the emperor of Austria, who was an admirer of the Curies, gifted a ton of pitchblende, and they continued their work for four more years. Then, in 1902, success finally came, and that night their laboratory was filled with rays of soft bluish-purple light coming from the glass-covered bowls. Radium was thus discovered.

It was to become one of the wonders of the world. With its rays, people would be able to see through the hardest of substances except lead. Radium is used with great effect in the treatment of cancer and bacteria of diseases like typhus. Cholera and anthrax can also be killed by radium.

In 1903, the Curies, along with Henri Becquerel, were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics for the discovery of radium and polonium. In 1906, Pierre died, and in 1911, Marie was again awarded the Nobel Prize for Chemistry. But she remained comparatively poor, refusing to patent their discovery and giving it free to the world to be used properly.

Thus, Madame Curie is one of those great and courageous people who pursue her life’s goal with great strength of mind and is not defeated by extremely hostile and unfavourable conditions of life.

2. BOSEM Solutions for Class 8 Modern English Chapter 13: A Brave Heart Dedicated to Science and Humanity

Answer the following questions in a sentence each

Q1. How was Marja Sklowdaska saving money for her study in Paris?

Ans: Marja took a job as a governess and saved a little money for her study in Paris.

Q2. Why did Marja often faint while she was a student at Sorbonne?

Ans: Marja often fainted for lack of food while she was a student at Sorbonne.

Q3. Where did Marie and Pierre set up a laboratory?

Ans: Marie and Pierre set up a laboratory in a wooden shed near their flat.

Q4. Why did Marie Curie name one of the two substances she discovered “Polonium”?

Ans: Marie Curie named one of the two substances she discovered “Polonium” in honour of her country Poland.

Q4. How did the Curies get a windfall of a ton of pitchblende?

Ans: The Curies get a windfall of a ton of pitchblende as a gift from the emperor of Austria.

Q5. In the treatment of which disease. Is radium used with great effect?

Ans:  Radium is used with great effect in the treatment of cancer.

Q6. For which subject, were the Curies awarded the Nobel Prize in 1903?

Ans:  The Curies were awarded the Nobel prize in 1903 for Physics.

Q7. How did Marie react when Pierre was killed?

Ans:  Marie clung to his lifeless body and remained disconsolate.

Answer the following questions in about 20-25 words.

Q1. Give examples of some great men and women who attained greatness.

Ans: Columbus, Vasco-de Gama, Robert Peary, Sir Ronald Ross, Hillary and Tenzing, and Armstrong are some great men and women who attained greatness.

Q2. Why does the writer say that for Marie life in the university was a disheartening experience in poverty and hunger?

Ans: The writer says that for Marie life in the university was a disheartening experience in poverty and hunger because she lived only on bread, butter and tea and she often fainted for lack of food.

Q3. How did Marie and Pierre meet and marry?

Ans: Marie met Pierre at the University. Then they began to work together in a shabby laboratory. Soon, their friendship turned into love and in less than a year, they got married.

Q4. Describe the laboratory that the Curies set up.

Ans: Marie and Pierre set up a laboratory in a wooden shed near their flat. It had a leaky skylight and an earthen floor.

Q5. Why was Marie interested in uranium?

Ans: Marie was interested in uranium because it was known to give off very powerful rays by which men could see through many substances.

Q6. In what way was Henri Becquerel’s discovery different from that of Marie Curie?

Ans: Henri Becquerel discovered that Uranium is radioactive while Marie Curie discovered that Radium and Polonium possessed radioactive to a much higher degree.

Q7. How did luck favour the Curies during their struggle for the discovery of Radium?

Ans: Luck favoured the Curies when a windfall came to them. It was a gift of a ton of pitchblende from the emperor of Austria.

Q8. Describe the night in which the Curies discovered Radium.

Ans: One night, when the Curies went to the laboratory to look at the small bowls into which they had poured filtered pitchblende. Rays of soft, bluish-purple light were coming out from the bowls. Radium was discovered.

Q9. Why are the benefits of Radium incalculable?

Ans: The benefits of radium in the world of medicine are incalculable. It is used in the treatment of Cancer and the killing of bacteria of diseases such as typhus, cholera and anthrax.

Q10. Why did Marie Curie refuse to patent the discovery of Radium?

Ans: Marie Curies refused to patent the discovery of Radium because she wanted to give it free to the world to be used properly.

Answer the following questions in about 50-60 words each.

Q1. What characteristics are necessary for men and women to attain greatness? Explain with examples.

Ans: The characteristics which are necessary for men and women to attain greatness are courage, commitment, dedication singleness of purpose in their effort and an indomitable spirit which characterises the human spirit. Examples of such great men and women are Columbus and Vasco-de Gama sailing to the unknown sea, Robert Peary racing to the pole, Sir Ronald Ross fighting against malaria, Hillary and Tenzing reaching the top of Everest and Armstrong and his team to the moon.

Q2. How did Marja Sklowdaska show her sense of determination when her father could not afford to send her to Sorbonne?

Ans: When her father could not afford to send her to Sorbonne, Marja Sklowdaska took a job as a governess and saved a little money. With that little money, she went to Sorbonne to study science. Her father could send her only a small amount and her life in the university was a disheartening experience in poverty and hunger. She lived only on bread, butter and tea and she Often fainted for lack of food. In spite of all this, she pursued her studies indomitably.

Q3. Show how Marie Curie faced all the miseries of life with courage in her work to discover Radium.

Ans: Marie Curie faced all the miseries of life with courage in her work to discover Radium along with her husband who loved and supported her. They sacrificed all the luxuries of life to save money to buy whatever little amount of extremely expensive pitchblende. They lived in utter penury, not buying costly food and warm clothes for the extremely cold Parisian winter. Often they could not sleep during the Cold nights due to lack of warmth. Overwork seriously affected her health.

Q4. Write how the Curies worked for four more years for the discovery of radium after they received a ton of pitchblende as a gift.

Ans: The Curies continued their work for four more years after receiving a ton of pitchblende as a gift. Marie toiled along stirring a large pot of pitchblende ensuring that fires beneath were active throughout day and night. One night, after a day’s tiresome work, they went home. They went to the laboratory to have another look at the hundreds of small bowls into which they had poured filtered pitchblende and discovered Radium.

Q5. Write what kind of woman Marie Curie was.

Ans: Marie Curie was a living example who pursued her life’s goal with great courage, endurance, dedication and strength of character. She displays strength of mind that is not defeated by extremely hostile and unfavourable conditions of life. She could have patented her discoveries and become rich, but this noble woman refused to do so and gave it free to the world to be used properly.

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