Distinction of X-Ray among EMS’s

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation that is used for medical purposes. It is

used to capture the internal organs of animals and humans. It is also used to treat cancer.

X-rays are commonly produced in X-ray tubes by accelerating electrons through a

potential difference (a voltage drop) and directing them onto a target material (i.e. tungsten). The
incoming electrons release X-rays as they slowdown in the target (braking radiation or
bremsstrahlung). The X-ray photons produced in this manner range in energy from near zero up
to the energy of the electrons. An incoming electron may also collide with an atom in the target,
kicking out an electron and leaving a vacancy in one of the atom’s electron shells. Another
electron may fill the vacancy and in so doing release an X-ray photon of a specific energy (a
characteristic X-ray). The X-ray spectrum shown in the picture is a plot of the number of photons
against the photon energy.

Source:https://www.arpansa.gov.au/understanding-radiation/what-is-radiation/ionising-radiation/x-
ray#:~:text=X%2Drays%20are%20a%20form,absorbed%20and%20others%20pass%20through

X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation similar to radio waves, microwaves,

visible light and gamma rays. X-ray photons are highly energetic and have enough energy to
break up molecules and hence damage living cells. When X-rays hit a material some are
absorbed and others pass through. Generally, the higher the energy the more X-rays will pass
through. If it is being compared with its nearest electromagnetic wave, Gamma Ray, they are just
different in terms of how they are produced. Gamma rays originate from the settling process of
an excited nucleus of a radionuclide after it undergoes radioactive decay whereas X-rays are
produced when electrons strike a target or when electrons rearrange within an atom. X-rays can
also be produced by a synchrotron. A synchrotron is a device that accelerates electrons in an
evacuated ring (often several tens of metres in diameter), steering them with magnets.
Manipulating the electron beam in a controlled way with the magnets can produce intense beams
of X-rays. Synchrotron facilities are used for research purposes. Generally, X-rays have shorter
wavelengths (higher energy ) than UV waves and, generally, longer wavelengths (lower energy)
than gamma rays. Sometimes X-rays are called Röntgen radiation, after Wilhelm Röntgen, who
is usually credited as their discoverer.
 X-rays is very beneficial in terms of medical purposes and research. In terms of medical
use, X-ray determines bones that may be fractured by producing images and be interpreted by a
medical doctor. X-rays are not only used to form diagnoses but also to help with treatment, check
on progression of a condition or injury, and to assess progress following treatment. In terms of
research, X-ray crystallography and fluoroscopy are commonly used for the quality control of
materials (i.e. metal quality) and investigating the properties of materials. Industrial radiography
can use X-ray or gamma sources for analysis to look for cracks in buildings, structures or
pressure vessels. On the other hand, exposure to high radiation levels can have a range of effects,
such as vomiting, bleeding, fainting, hair loss, and the loss of skin and hair.