• Question: How can xrays see through your skin?

    Asked by 10harmank to Mike, Pip, Tianfu, Tim, Tom on 26 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Tom Lister

      Tom Lister answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      Different types of em radiation are absorbed by different amounts through your body. Light doesn’t get very far through your body before being absorbed. Radio waves are hardly absorbed at all. X-rays are just right, because they can get through your body but are still absorbed well by your bones.

      If you were standing in front of a wall with all three shining at you, the light would leave a shadow of your silhouette, the radio waves would create a blank picture and the x-rays would leave a shadow of your bones (with a few extra details).

    • Photo: Tim Stephens

      Tim Stephens answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      Good answer, Tom 🙂

    • Photo: Tianfu Yao

      Tianfu Yao answered on 26 Jun 2012:

      The X-ray have shorter optical wavelength. This mean the photon energy is higher. Also the attenuation for Xray is low. Thus it can propagate through your skin and your body. However, it may also kill some healthy cells I guess.

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