X-rays
Updates to Article Attributes
X-rays (or much more rarely, and usually historically, x-radiation or Roentgen rays) represent a form of ionising electromagnetic radiation. They are produced by an x-ray tube, using a high voltage to accelerate the electrons produced by its cathode. The produced electrons interact with the anode, thus producing x-rays. The x-rays produced include Bremsstrahlung and the characteristic radiation for the anode element.
X-rays can interact with matter by the following:
- photoelectric effect
- Compton effect
- Rayleigh or classical scattering
- ionisation
- pair production(not possible in the diagnostic radiology range)
ionisation
Terminology
The term x-ray as well as referring to a form of electromagnetic radiation per se, is also used to refer to the image generated, for example a chest x-ray. Although many radiologists will insist that radiograph is the correct term for this, especially in a more formal setting . X-ray is also used as a transitive verb, e.g. we x-rayed the man's chest 4.
History and etymology
X-rays were discovered by the German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen (1845-1923) in 1895. They were named x-rays or x-radiation as Rontgen did not know what they were, and he was using the symbol 'x' for an unknown quantity or thing 1. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking discovery.
-<li>-<a href="/articles/pair-production">pair production</a> (not possible in the diagnostic radiology range)</li>-</ul><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>X-rays were discovered by the German physicist <a href="/articles/wilhelm-roentgen-1">Wilhelm Roentgen</a> (1845-1923) in 1895. They were named x-rays or x-radiation as Rontgen did not know what they were, and he was using the symbol 'x' for an unknown quantity or thing <sup>1</sup>. He was awarded the <a href="/articles/nobel-prizes-for-radiology">Nobel Prize in Physics</a> for his groundbreaking discovery.</p>- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/pair-production">pair production</a> (not possible in the diagnostic radiology range)</li>
- +</ul><h4>Terminology</h4><p>The term x-ray as well as referring to a form of <a title="Electromagnetic radiation" href="/articles/electromagnetic-radiation">electromagnetic radiation</a> per se, is also used to refer to the image generated, for example a chest x-ray. Although many radiologists will insist that <a href="/articles/radiograph-1">radiograph</a> is the correct term for this, especially in a more formal setting . X-ray is also used as a transitive verb, e.g. we x-rayed the man's chest <sup>4</sup>.</p><h4>History and etymology</h4><p>X-rays were discovered by the German physicist <a href="/articles/wilhelm-roentgen-1">Wilhelm Roentgen</a> (1845-1923) in 1895. They were named x-rays or x-radiation as Rontgen did not know what they were, and he was using the symbol 'x' for an unknown quantity or thing <sup>1</sup>. He was awarded the <a href="/articles/nobel-prizes-for-radiology">Nobel Prize in Physics</a> for his groundbreaking discovery.</p>
References changed:
- 4. Editors of Chambers, Ian Brookes. The Chambers Dictionary. (2006) ISBN: 9780550101853 - <a href="http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN9780550101853">Google Books</a>
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