X ray

X ray, invisible, highly penetrating electromagnetic radiation of much shorter wavelength (higher frequency) than visible light. The wavelength range for X rays is from about 10⁻⁸ m to about 10⁻¹¹ m, or from less than a billionth of an inch to less than a trillionth of an inch; the corresponding frequency range is from about 3 × 10¹⁶ Hz to about 3 × 10¹⁹ Hz (1 Hz = 1 cps).

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Applications of X Rays
• Discovery and Early Scientific Use
• Production of X Rays
• Bibliography

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, 6th ed. Copyright © 2012, Columbia University Press. All rights reserved.

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