Why X-rays and Gamma-rays are different in nature, though both are of eletromagnetic origin?
Asked by: Buddhadev
Mukherjee
Answer
Gamma rays refer to electromagnetic radiation from nuclear interactions while X-rays
come from atomic interactions. But they are both high energy electromagnetic radiation
and, if you didn't already know the source, you couldn't tell for sure if a particular
photon was a gamma-ray or an X-ray. Gammas tend to be higher in energy since nuclear
binding potentials are larger than atomic potentials but there is overlap in the two
spectra.
Answered by: Tom Swanson, Ph.D. Physics, Oregon State University
'For the sake of persons of ... different types, scientific truth should be presented in different forms, and should be regarded as equally scientific, whether it appears in the robust form and the vivid coloring of a physical illustration, or in the tenuity and paleness of a symbolic expression.'