X-ray

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electromagnetic spectrum

X-ray of coronary artery

osteogenesis imperfecta

trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles of the human airway tree

Figure 6: Incident rays (1 and 2) at angle θ on the planes of atoms in a crystal. Rays reinforce if their difference in path length (AB + BC) is an integer times the wavelength of the X ray.

Figure 1: The electromagnetic spectrum.

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X-ray: Facts & Related Content

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last Updated: Jun 15, 2025

News •

Chiropractor says being able to order X-rays is paring redundancy from P.E.I. medical system • June 12, 2025, 1:59 AM ET (CBC)

X-rays have just revealed a mysterious cosmic object never before seen in our galaxy • May 30, 2025, 2:51 AM ET (Daily Maverick)

Astronomers Discover Mysterious Object Bursting with X-Rays • May 29, 2025, 9:30 AM ET (Scientific American)

Facts

Also Known As	X-radiation • Röntgen radiation

Photos and Videos

electromagnetic spectrum

X-ray of coronary artery

osteogenesis imperfecta

trachea, bronchi, and bronchioles of the human airway tree

Figure 6: Incident rays (1 and 2) at angle θ on the planes of atoms in a crystal. Rays reinforce if their difference in path length (AB + BC) is an integer times the wavelength of the X ray.

Figure 1: The electromagnetic spectrum.

How does a particle accelerator work?

The environmental effects of nuclear radiation

Understand how the electromagnetic spectrum helps study the celestial bodies

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Topics

hard X ray particle-induced X-ray emission X-ray optics soft X ray secondary X ray continuous X ray cosmic X-ray background bremsstrahlung X-ray fluorescence scattered X ray light gamma ray ultraviolet radiation spectrum solar radiation infrared radiation radio wave microwave spectroscopy luminescence

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Key People

Marie Curie

Marie Curie

Polish-born French physicist

Walter Bradford Cannon

American neurologist and physiologist

Hermann Joseph Muller

American geneticist

Arthur Holly Compton

Arthur Holly Compton

American physicist

Norman Robert Campbell

British physicist and philosopher

Giacconi, Riccardo

Riccardo Giacconi

Italian physicist

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen

Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen

German physicist

Karl Manne Georg Siegbahn

Swedish physicist

Silvanus Phillips Thompson

British physicist and historian

Maurice, 6 duke de Broglie

French physicist

Barkla, Charles Glover

Charles Glover Barkla

British physicist

Hendrik Anthony Kramers

Dutch physicist

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