Historical Perspective
- Page ID
- 78075
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- determined that X-rays would be scattered by atoms in a crystalline solid if there was similarity in the wavelength of X-rays and the interatomic distances of the crystalline material.
\[\mathrm{2d \sinθ = nλ}\]
λ = wavelength of the x-ray
θ = scattering angle
n = integer representing the order of the diffraction peak
d = inter-plane distance of (i.e atoms, ions, molecules)
θ = scattering angle
n = integer representing the order of the diffraction peak
d = inter-plane distance of (i.e atoms, ions, molecules)
- determined why the cleavage faces of crystals appeared to reflect X-ray beams at certain angles of incidence (θ). This is due to constructive interference.
- simulated the experiment, using visible light and tiny arrays of dots and pinholes to mimic atomic arrangements on a much larger scale. These experiments provided similar patterns to X-rays but were safer to work with than X-rays.