X rays are electromagnetic parts of the nature and they are distinguished by the wavelength of light smaller. They are penetrating electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than the one of the light. Their appear from the place where the cathode rays are falling on the glass of a vacuum tub and are recognized through the special look of the light which passes through bodies and reflects into photographic plates.
As the wavelength is smaller, the penetration power becomes much higher. Longer rays, situated near the ultraviolet band radiation are known as soft. Shorter rays, placed near the gamma rays are called hard x-rays.
X-rays are produced when high speed electrons strike a material object. A significant part of the electron energy is transformed into heat and the rest is transformed into x-rays, causing changes in the target atoms as a result of impact. The emitted radiation is not monochromatic; it is composed of a wide range of wavelengths.
By introducing a curved cathode to focus the electron beam on a target of the heavy metal, called the anode are produced harder X-rays, with shorter wavelengths and higher energy. The resulted X-rays depend on the gas pressure in the tube.
The one on which X-ray technology has a greater impact is the impressive photographic solution and the light as well. The absorption of radiation depends on the density and atomic weight. As the atomic weight is smaller, the material is more easily penetrated by X-rays. When the human body is exposed to X-rays, the bones with higher atomic weight than the meat absorb in a bigger manner the radiations and thanks to this it can be seen more pronounced shadows on the film.
Fluorescence X-ray radiation causes fluorescence to certain materials, such as barium platino-cyanide and zinc sulphurize. If the photographic film is replaced with a screen treated with such a material, the structure of the opaque objects can be observed directly; this technique is called fluoroscopy.
Besides the applications from physics, chemistry, mineralogy, metallurgy and biology, X-rays are used in industry for nondestructive testing of a certain metal alloys. For such X-rays are used Cobalt 60 and Caesium 137.
Also with the help of X-ray, there are some procedures which test certain stages of production and eliminate the defects. Ultra soft X-rays are used in determining the authenticity of some works of art or to the restoration of some paintings.
