RT 102: Discovery of X-Ray

Study Notes

Discovery of X-Ray

X-rays were discovered accidentally during experiments with cathode rays in the late 19th century.
The Crookes tube, invented by Sir William Crookes, was crucial for early X-ray production.
Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen discovered X-rays on November 8, 1895, at Würzburg University in Germany.
Roentgen's experiments involved black photographic paper and a Barium Platinocyanide plate, leading to the observation of fluorescence.
X-rays were named "X-light" to signify unknown radiation and could penetrate materials, revealing images like bones.
Roentgen’s first radiograph was of his wife’s hand, published in "On a New Kind of Rays" two months later.
Key characteristics of X-rays include:
- Highly penetrating and invisible.
- Electrically neutral and unaffected by electric/magnetic fields.
- Wide range of energies and wavelengths.
- Release minimal heat in matter.
- Travel straight at the speed of light (3 x 10^8 m/s).
- Capable of ionizing matter and causing fluorescence.
- Not focusable by lenses and affect photographic film.

Early Pioneers in Radiography

Wilhelm Conrad Roentgen: German physicist, discovered X-rays, awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physics (1901).
Anna Bertha Ludwig: Roentgen’s wife, first person to undergo X-ray examination on December 22, 1895.
William Crookes: British chemist, developed the Crookes Tube in 1875, vital for early X-ray technology.
Michael Pupin: Demonstrated the radiographic intensifying screen in 1896, later recognized for its significance.
Charles Leonard: Innovated double-emulsion radiography in 1904, halving expose times and enhancing image quality.
Gustav Bucky: Invented the stationary grid in 1913 and later a moving grid to improve radiographic quality.
Hollis Potter: Independently developed a moving grid in 1915, later known as the Potter-Bucky grid.

Development of Modern Radiology

1895: Roentgen’s first X-ray image; showed skeletal outline of his wife's hand.
1896: X-ray applications began; Antoine Henri Becquerel discovers radioactivity.
1900: Formation of the American Roentgen Society, the first radiology organization in the U.S.
1901 & 1905: Roentgen awarded Nobel Prize; Einstein introduces the theory of relativity.
1907-1914: Introduction of the Snook transformer and Coolidge Hot-Filament X-ray tube; radiological equipment used in WWI.
1918: George Eastman replaces glass plates with film for radiographs.
1921: Introduction of Potter-Bucky grid to enhance radiographic techniques.
1946: Light amplifier tube demonstrated, leading to advancements in fluoroscopy.
1973-2003: Significant advancements including development of CT imaging and MRI technology, recognition of radiology's impact on medicine.

Laws of Physics

Laws describe generalized rules explaining observations in physics.
Law of Universal Gravitation: Invisible pulling force between masses; strength varies with mass.
Newton’s Three Laws of Motion:
- Inertia: A body remains at rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon.
- Force: Force equals mass multiplied by acceleration (F=ma).
- Action-Reaction: Equal and opposite reactions for every action.
Law of Conservation of Energy: Energy can’t be created or destroyed, only transformed.
Law of Conservation of Mass: Matter can’t be created or destroyed, only change forms, retaining its properties.

Description

This quiz covers the early history of X-ray discovery in the 1870s and 1880s, focusing on the contributions of Sir William Crookes and the experiments with cathode rays using the Crookes tube. Test your knowledge of this pivotal moment in physics and radiation science.