X-rays

X-rays (or much more rarely, and usually historically, x-radiation or Roentgen rays) represent a form of ionizing 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
• pair production (not possible in the diagnostic radiology range)
• ionization

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 . He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics for his groundbreaking discovery.

Siehe auch:

• Anode (x-ray tube)
• Bremsstrahlung
• Kathode
• Röntgenröhre

und weiter:

• Anode
• Ionisierende Strahlung