Electromagnetic radiation of extremely short
wavelength (100 nanometres to 0.001 nanometre) produced by the deceleration of charged particles or the transitions of
electrons in atoms. X-rays travel at the speed of light and exhibit phenomena associated with
waves, but experiments indicate that they can also behave like particles (see
wave-particle duality). On the
electromagnetic spectrum, they lie between
gamma rays and
ultraviolet radiation. They were discovered in 1895 by
Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, who named them X-rays for their unknown nature. They are used in medicine to diagnose bone fractures, dental cavities, and cancer; to locate foreign objects in the body; and to stop the spread of malignant tumours. In industry, they are used to analyze and detect flaws in structures.
Source: Encyclopedia Britannica
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