Expert: Paul Wagner - 9/20/2005

Question
Since only two or three of the waves (radio,visible light)in the electromagnetic spectrum ever reach earth, how are the X-rays that take pictures of our lungs created on earth?

Ray

Answer
Dear Ray:

It's true that our atmosphere protects us from astronomical x-rays, and that's a good thing!  But that doesn't mean that we can't create them here on Earth.  We create sound, and light, and other radiation here, and we also create x-rays.  

here is a great link that explains exactly how it is done:

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/xray/making_xrays.html

Paul Wagner