X-rays
X-rays were first discovered in 1895 by Wilhelm Conrad who was a German physicist. During experiments with electric currents passing through a vacuum tube, Wilhelm Conrad observed that a nearby fluorescent screen glowed when the current was being passed. After turning on high voltage current, Wilhelm Conrad noticed a green glow and the fogging of photographic plates. He then tried covering the tube with black paper reassuring that no light would pass through. Still, something came through that affected the photographic plate. He noted this effect being caused by unknown rays which in turn he later called X-rays, X being used as the unknown rays. Soon after Wilhelm Conrad took an X-ray of his wife’s hand. The wedding ring appeared on the picture and had completely blocked out the X-rays. This is the reason that they appear black. This new form of radiation created a great interest in both the scientific field and public sector. What are X-rays and what are they used for? X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation. X-rays have high energy and short wavelength and are able to pass through tissue.