How does X-ray diffraction work?

X-ray diffraction works by shining X-rays onto a crystal and measuring the angles of the diffracted beams.

X-ray diffraction is a technique used to analyse the structure of materials at the atomic and molecular level. It works by shining a beam of X-rays onto a crystal, which causes the atoms in the crystal to scatter the X-rays in different directions. The scattered X-rays interfere with each other, creating a pattern of bright spots and dark areas on a detector.

The pattern of spots and areas is called a diffraction pattern, and it contains information about the arrangement of atoms in the crystal. The angles of the diffracted beams can be measured and used to calculate the distances between the atoms in the crystal lattice.

X-ray diffraction is widely used in many fields, including chemistry, physics, materials science, and biology. It can be used to determine the structure of proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules, as well as to study the properties of metals, ceramics, and other materials.

In summary, X-ray diffraction works by shining X-rays onto a crystal and measuring the angles of the diffracted beams. This technique provides valuable information about the atomic and molecular structure of materials and is widely used in many scientific fields.