X-rays: Working, Properties, Types, Comparison, Applications
X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiations (the radiations which don’t need any medium to move) which possess very high energy ranging from 100 eV to 100 keV. They lie in end of electromagnetic spectrum, before gamma rays portion. They are produced by the inner electronic transitions in an atom. Working of X-rays X rays are produced when high speed electrons collide on a metal surface. As a result, they are absorbed by the metal plate and release energy in form of x rays. They are used in medical applications like anatomy of body parts. When beam of x rays comes in contact with body tissues then it produces an image on metal film. It happens because soft tissues (skin or organs) can’t absorb them however dense materials inside body like bones can absorb them, thus giving inside picture of body. In x ray image of any body part, black areas represent the body parts from where x-rays have passed while white area shows denser tissues. Properties of x-rays In electromagnetic spectrum, they have shorter wavelength. High voltage is required for their production. They don’t have electric charge. They move in straight line. They can travel in vacuum. They travel with the speed of light. They have ability to penetrate optically through opaque Types of X-rays X rays are classified into two types according to their wavelength. Soft and hard X-rays The x rays with short wavelength about 10 nm are known as soft x rays and those with greater wavelength about 100 pm are called hard x rays. On the basis of production, they are classified into two categories. Characteristic and Bremsstrahlung x-rays Characteristic x rays are produced when high energy particles like photons, electrons or ions are bombarded on an element. As a result of this bombardment, the electron from inner energy level gets ejected producing a hole. To cover this vacancy, an electron from higher energy level falls to lower energy level vacancy, thus producing x-rays having energy equal to the energy difference of these levels.
Bremsstrahlung x rays or deceleration radiations are produced when a nucleus is bombarded by a beam of charged particles usually electrons, as a result the beam is deflected as nucleus has positive charge. The moving particles lose their kinetic energy which is actually converted to the radiations (photons) which satisfies the law of conservation of energy. They have continuous spectrum.
X-rays vs gamma rays The main difference b/w x rays and gamma rays is of the production source. X rays are produced by the electronic transitions b/w energy levels while gamma rays are generated through the radioactive decay of an excited nucleus. Both don’t have any charge on them. Both are part of electromagnetic spectrum. Energy of gamma rays is greater than that of x rays. Penetration power of gamma rays is more than that of x rays. X rays are more intense and faster than gamma rays. Applications of X-rays They can be used in various fields for various purposes like They are used to detect the breakage in human bones. They are used as a scanner to scan the luggage of passengers in airports, rail terminals, and other places. In industry, they are widely used to detect the defects in the welds. They are used for the determination of crystal structures in inorganic, organic, and biological materials. They are used in therapy as high-energy radiations are required to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Do not forget leaving your valuable comment on this piece of writing and sharing with your near and dear ones. To keep yourself up-to-date with Information Palace, put your email in the space given below and Subscribe. Furthermore, if you yearn to know about permeability, view our construct, ‘Magnetic permeability and classification of materials on basis of permeability.’ Read the full article
