What is an X-Ray?

You might have had an x-ray in hospital if you’ve hurt a bone or in the dentist when having a check up. X-rays are incredibly useful in medicine and have lots of other uses too.

X-rays are used to view inside objects and materials. If you’ve been to an airport you’ve probably had your bag scanned. Airport security use x-rays to help find objects that can’t be detected with a metal detector.

Radiographers in hospitals use X-rays to view inside the body to diagnose broken bones. X-rays are transmitted by skin and flesh but absorbed by bones and other dense material.

An x- ray image is created when x-ray radiation is passed through the body onto a detector. Areas where less x-rays pass through ( bones ) are the brighter parts of the image.

x-ray images of the hand, chest and shoulder

An x-ray is an electromagnetic wave. X-rays and Gamma rays are high energy electromagnetic waves which pass through the body with little absoption which is why they are great for viewing inside the body.

X-rays can also be used for inspecting food to look for items that shouldn’t be there and for examining fossils!!