Henri Becquerel's Radioactivity Discovery

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Henri Becquerel's discovery of radioactivity in 1896 revolutionized nuclear physics. Initially, he aimed to link phosphorescent materials with X-rays, discovered by Wilhelm Roentgen in 1895. On an overcast day in Paris, Becquerel placed uranium salts on photographic plates wrapped in black paper, expecting sunlight to stimulate phosphorescence. However, he developed the plates anyway and found them blackened, indicating that uranium emitted radiation without external energy. Becquerel's findings sparked intense research. He demonstrated that radioactivity was a property of uranium itself, not requiring external stimulation. His work led to the discovery of other radioactive elements like thorium, polonium, and radium by Marie and Pierre Curie. Becquerel also showed that radiation could be deflected by magnetic fields, indicating charged particles. His discovery earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1903, shared with the Curies. It laid the groundwork for understanding atomic structure and nuclear physics.