Question

X rays were discovered by

• A. Brewster
• B. Thomas Young
• C. Rontgen
• D. Maxwell

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Rontgen

X-rays

• X-rays were discovered by Wilhelm Conrad Röntgen in 1895. This groundbreaking discovery occurred when Röntgen was conducting experiments with cathode ray tubes in his laboratory at the University of Würzburg, Germany. He noticed that a fluorescent screen in his lab began to glow even though it was shielded from the cathode rays. This mysterious radiation could penetrate through various materials, including human tissue, while being absorbed by bones and metals.

• Röntgen called this unknown radiation "X-rays" because of their mysterious nature (X representing the unknown). For this revolutionary discovery, he was awarded the first Nobel Prize in Physics in 1901. X-rays quickly found applications in medical diagnosis and have since become an indispensable tool in medicine, allowing doctors to see inside the human body without invasive procedures.

• The other options are incorrect:

• Brewster is known for Brewster's law related to polarization of light

• Thomas Young is famous for the double-slit experiment demonstrating wave nature of light

• Maxwell developed the electromagnetic theory of light

• Röntgen's discovery of X-rays marked a significant milestone in physics and medicine, revolutionizing diagnostic capabilities and opening new frontiers in scientific research.