X-RAYs
X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than ultraviolet light but
longer than gamma rays. They were discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895 and have
since become crucial in various fields including medicine, industry, and research.
Properties of X-rays:
1. Penetrating Power: X-rays have high penetrating power compared to visible light. They
can pass through soft tissues but are absorbed by denser materials like bones and metal.
This property makes X-rays invaluable for medical imaging and material testing.
2. Ionization: X-rays have enough energy to ionize atoms and molecules. This can cause
biological damage by disrupting molecular structures and damaging DNA.
3. Invisibility: X-rays are invisible to the human eye but can be detected and recorded using
photographic film, digital detectors, or specialized imaging devices.
4. Travel in Straight Lines: Like other forms of electromagnetic radiation, X-rays travel in
straight lines. They can be focused and collimated to create detailed images.
5. Wavelength and Energy: X-rays have wavelengths ranging from about 0.01 to 10
nanometers, corresponding to energies in the range of 100 eV to 100 keV. The energy of
an X-ray photon is inversely proportional to its wavelength.
6. Interaction with Matter: X-rays can be absorbed, scattered, or transmitted when they
interact with matter. Different materials have varying abilities to absorb X-rays
depending on their atomic number and density.
Production of X-rays
When a particle that is charged such as electrons or ions with sufficient energy hits a material, X-
rays are produced.
Production by Electrons
X-rays are created by an x-ray tube. It is a vacuum tube that utilizes a high voltage to accelerate
the electrons. The high-speed electrons crash into a metal objective, the anode, making the X-
rays. In clinical X-ray tubes, the objective is typically tungsten or a more break safe compound
of rhenium (5%) and tungsten (95%). However, molybdenum for more specialized or particular
applications. For example, when soft X-rays are required as in mammography.
X-tube
X-ray tube (the specific energy converter) receives the electric energy and converts it into two
other forms of energy; heat (undesirable product) and the X-radiation is created. The electrical
current is passed through the tungsten filament which causes it to glow and emit electrons. A
large voltage difference (measured in kilovolts) is created between the cathode and the anode,
causing the electrons to accelerate from the filament to the anode target resealing energy. To
prevent the anode from melting due to the heat produced, it is continuously rotated to allow it
to cool. The X-rays then penetrates through a window in the X-ray tube producing
characteristic X-ray spectra which can be used to provide information on the internal
arrangement of atoms in crystals or the structure of internal body parts
Production by Fast Positive Ions
The production of X-rays by fast positive ions typically involves interactions between these ions
and matter, particularly when the ions are accelerated or collide with other atoms or molecules
Fast positive ions are typically generated in particle accelerators or other high-energy
environments where ions are accelerated to high speeds. When these fast positive ions collide
with atoms in a target material, several interactions can occur, leading to the emission of X-rays.