History
X-rays were first observed and documented in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, a German scientist who found them quite by accident when experimenting with vacuum tubes. A week later, he took an X-ray photograph? of his wife's hand which clearly revealed her wedding ring and her bones. The photograph electrified the general public and aroused great scientific interest in the new form of radiation. Röntgen called it "X" to indicate it was an unknown type of radiation. The name stuck, although (over Röntgen's objections), many of his colleagues suggested calling them Röntgen rays. They are still occasionally referred to as Röntgen rays in German-speaking countries.
Uses:
X-rays are used in medecine? to take pictures of bones and teeth?. This is because bones absorb the radiation more than the less-dense soft tissue. Areas where a lot of radiation is absorbed show up as white and can be used to show broken or fractured bones.
Exposure to x-ray radiation is dangerous and cancer causing, so radiographers try to keep exposure to the patient to a mimimum. Radiographers themselves wear lead aprons and stay behind a lead screen.
X-rays in chemistry can be used to investigate the structures of crystals and other structures.
X-ray Astronomy is the study of the universe by analysing the x-ray radiation which we receive on the earth.
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