X-rays are a type of electromagnetic radiation, invisible to the human eye, capable of passing through a person’s skin and revealing images of the bones beneath it. Technological advances have made it possible to make increasingly powerful X-rays, making it possible today to obtain images of tiny biological cells.
Also, we can differentiate between soft and hard X-rays. Soft X-rays have a relatively short wavelength (10 nanometers), while hard X-rays have wavelengths of approximately 100 picometers (one billionth of a meter).
History of X-rays
X-rays were discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad Röentgen, a professor at the University of Würzburg in Germany. While studying the penetrating power of cathode rays, Röentgen discovered that a cardboard plate covered with platinum-cyanide crystals emitted a fluorescence, which disappeared when there was no current. The plate was somehow producing the energy for the crystals to glow.
The physicist continued repeating this experiment until he realized that these rays (called X-rays but also known as Röentgen rays) could pass through different types of materials such as wood, paper or aluminum. However, they couldn’t get through the lead.
It was then that he discovered that if he held a lead ring, he could see the bones in his hand. Röentgen decided to print the image of his bones on a photographic plate, thus creating the first X-ray.
Utility of X-rays
Because of its ability to penetrate certain materials, X-rays are used to identify cracks in some structures or to look for internal defects in parts. It is also used in hospitals and dentists to create X-ray images of bones and teeth.
On the other hand, X-rays are essential for security inspections in the transport of people, luggage and cargo. Electronic image detectors allow the content of packages and passengers’ belongings to be viewed in real time.
Radiotherapy
Radiation therapy uses high-energy radiation to kill cancer cells by damaging their DNA. Because this treatment can also damage normal cells, it is recommended that treatment be planned carefully to minimize side effects.
In high doses, radiation therapy kills cancer cells or slows their growth by damaging their DNA. Cancer cells whose DNA is damaged stop dividing and die. When damaged cells die, they break down and the body removes them.
Radiation therapy does not kill cancer cells right away, as it takes days or weeks of treatment before the DNA is damaged enough for the cells to die. Cancer cells then continue to die for weeks and months after radiation therapy ends.
