2007-02-25 10:36:39 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
Originally, it meant "unknown" as in "X" in algebra for an unknown quantity.
When they were discovered, it was not known what they were, but they could determine they were in the form of "rays" so they just called them X-Rays!
We now know they are electro-magnetic rays, like light and radio waves, but much higher energy.
I hope this helps?!
2007-02-25 10:41:49 · answer #1 · answered by TK_M 5 · 4⤊ 1⤋
On November 8, 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen, a German scientist, began observing and further documenting X-rays while experimenting with vacuum tubes. Röntgen, on December 28, 1895, wrote a preliminary report "On a new kind of ray: A preliminary communication". He submitted it to the Würzburg's Physical-Medical Society journal. This was the first formal and public recognition of the categorization of X-rays. Röntgen referred to the radiation as "X", to indicate that it was an unknown type of radiation. The name stuck, although (over Röntgen's great objections), many of his colleagues suggested calling them Röntgen rays. They are still referred to as such in many languages. Röntgen received the first Nobel Prize in Physics for his discovery.
2007-02-25 10:44:13 · answer #2 · answered by Polo 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
there is no real significance to the x in x-rays. it is not an acronym, but it refers to the fact that during the time when scientist where trying to find an elusive missing ray, they daubed it x-rays, x meaning that it was a mystery, enigma, missing link of sort. hope that helps
2007-02-25 10:42:58 · answer #3 · answered by elementface 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
when the ray was first discovered the discoverer didnt know what to call it, or if he is the first one to discover it, hence he named it X ray for the time being and it continued to be called that.
2007-02-25 11:56:52 · answer #4 · answered by Sunny 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A new form of radiation was discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Roentgen, a German physicist. He called it X-radiation to denote its unknown nature.
2007-02-25 10:41:40 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
They are projected in the form of an X. It makes a better image on the photo plate.
2007-02-25 19:51:01 · answer #6 · answered by Tamart 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The X stands for the chemicals that produce the radiation that an x-ray gives off.
2007-02-25 10:42:55 · answer #7 · answered by Empress Amethyst 2 · 0⤊ 4⤋
X denotes the type of radiation
2007-02-25 20:48:06 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
it means nothing, it was a random choice it could have been
a w-ray but this is all.
2007-02-25 11:34:06 · answer #9 · answered by gregor_carnegie 1 · 0⤊ 2⤋
It means unknown; when scientists discovered them, they had never seen anything like them, and their nature was unknown.
2007-02-25 10:44:48 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋