We are all familiar with the terms x-ray and radiation, but what do they mean?
Before getting into what an x-ray is, you must first become familiar with the term "photon". It will be used throughout the course. Photon simply refers to a bundle, or particle, of energy. So when we refer to a photon of x-ray, we mean one "particle" of x-ray.
Radiation is simply the transfer of energy.
If you put these 2 words together, you have x-radiation (x-rays), which literally translates into a particle that transfers energy. As we describe electromagnetic radiation, this will become more clear.
X-ray is a form a electromagnetic (EM) radiation. EM radiation includes radiation types that are very common to us.
In the above graph, radio waves are on one end of the spectrum while x-rays and gamma rays occupy the other end. Notice that visible light is right in the middle of that spectrum. As you move along the electromagnet spectrum towards the right, the energy increases. The wavelength and frequency dictate what the photons are. Radio waves, with long wavelengths and low frequencies possess lower photon energy. X-rays and gamma rays have very short wavelengths and high frequencies, which gives them higher photon energies. It is this energy difference that gives the photons special properties, such as the ability to see, the ability to communicate, and the ability to image the inside of our bodies. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN TYPES OF ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION LIES IN THE ENERGY EACH POSSESSES.