Airport X-rays
Whether you have realized it or not, you have most likely had an encounter with x-ray waves before. Every time you go on an airplane X-rays are used to scan for dangerous items in peoples luggage to make sure you have a safe trip. If you have ever broken a bone, then X-rays were used to determine what the damage was. X-rays are also very useful for taking pictures in space, and the field of astronomy in general. X-rays are a very critical resource in today's society and have many different applications. This is due to the unique nature of how X-rays work and the fact that they are mostly harmless.
X-rays are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum, and like many other forms of radiation, the behave like a particle even though they are a wave. This is due to their extremely small wavelength, in fact the wavelength ranges only from about 10 to .01 nanometers and the frequency is from 1x10^16 up to 1x10^19 hertz. These high frequency waves were actually discovered by accident when the scientist Roentgen created X-ray waves using cathode rays. This was the first discovery of a source of x rays but there are actually many different sources. Many objects in space such as stars, commits,and black holes emit X-rays naturally, but they can also be created by striking a metal surface with vibrating electrons. The natural X-rays are very helpful in photographing stars, and locating other celestial objects. However the X-rays emitted there cannot penetrate the atmosphere, so X-ray telescopes need to be sent into orbit for the X-rays to be detected. The X-rays emitted on earth have many more uses relevant to our everyday lives. Because X-rays can penetrate many materials they can be used to see the through materials that are not very dense,and then will stop at dense materials such as bone and metal. This is how doctors can see through skin to bones, and why they stay behind a lead shield to avoid the x-rays. because X-rays are stopped by metal they are also used in buildings to see if there are any structural problems. X-rays aren't completely safe though because overexposure to them can be extremely dangerous. The reason that people like doctors must avoid getting too much exposure is that X-rays can cause cancer. That doesn't mean that if you get a broken bone and have to get an X-ray, that your at risk, because only extreme overexposure can really be dangerous. However it is still good to know the risks.
Hands being X-rayed
Overall X-rays are very helpful in many fields, from medicine to astronomy. They can help us take pictures of the stars or find a crack in a building to prevent disaster. X-rays are very high frequency waves that exist in nature or can be produced to fit our needs. However they can be carcinogenic and damaging to your health. When X-rays are used safely they are a very important part of our lives today.
Sources:
Atom-The Incredible World. The Discovery and Research of X-Rays, n.d. Web. 1 Apr. 2010.
Kurtis, Ron. "x rays." www.schoolforchampions.com. N.p., 30 Jan. 2008. Web. 17 Mar. 2010.
Netting, Ruth. "X-Rays." National Aeronautics and Space Admininistration. N.p., 27 Mar. 2007. Web. 1
Apr. 2010.
