Tag: Index
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X-Ray Diffraction
Introduction X-ray diffraction (XRD) is a powerful technique used for the study of crystalline materials. By analyzing the way in which a beam of X-rays diffracts off a crystalline sample, one can determine the atomic and molecular structure of the material, including bond lengths and angles, atomic positions, and overall symmetry. The Principle of XRD…
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X-Ray Spectroscopy
Introduction X-ray spectroscopy is a powerful analytical technique that uses the interaction of X-ray photons with matter to determine the chemical composition of a sample. It has wide applications in materials science, chemistry, physics, geology, and other fields. Basics of X-ray Spectroscopy X-ray spectroscopy involves the emission, transmission, or scattering of X-rays by an object.…
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X-Ray Fluorescence
Introduction X-ray fluorescence (XRF) is an analytical technique used to determine the elemental composition of a material. It is a type of emission spectroscopy that uses the inherent properties of atoms to identify and quantify the presence of different elements. The Principle of XRF When a material is exposed to an incident beam of X-rays,…
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Young’s Double-Slit Experiment
Introduction Young’s double-slit experiment is a famous experiment in physics that demonstrates the wave nature of light and forms the basis of the concept of interference. It was first performed by the British scientist Thomas Young in 1801. The Experiment In Young’s double-slit experiment, a beam of light is shone through two closely-spaced slits onto…
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Young’s Modulus
Introduction Young’s modulus, also known as the modulus of elasticity, is a measure of the stiffness of a solid material. Named after the British scientist Thomas Young, it quantifies the relationship between stress (force per unit area) and strain (proportional deformation) in a material. Defining Young’s Modulus Young’s modulus is defined as the ratio of…
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Yukawa Potential
Introduction The Yukawa potential, also known as the screened Coulomb potential, is a mathematical function used to describe the potential energy of a particle interaction mediated by a massive force carrier. It was first introduced by Hideki Yukawa in 1935 to describe the nuclear force between nucleons (protons and neutrons) within the atomic nucleus. The…
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Zeeman Effect
Introduction The Zeeman Effect, named after the Dutch physicist Pieter Zeeman, is the splitting of a spectral line into several components in the presence of a static magnetic field. It is a key phenomenon in atomic physics and quantum mechanics that illustrates the interaction between magnetic fields and the magnetic moments of atoms. Understanding the…
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Yarkovsky Effect
Introduction The Yarkovsky Effect is the force acting on a rotating body in space caused by the anisotropic emission of thermal photons (which carry momentum). This effect is named after the engineer Ivan Osipovich Yarkovsky, who first proposed the idea. This effect plays a significant role in the dynamics of small celestial bodies, such as…
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X-Rays
Introduction X-rays are a form of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths ranging from about 10 nanometers to 0.01 nanometers, corresponding to frequencies in the range 30 petahertz () to 30 exahertz (), and energies in the range 100 eV to 100 keV. X-rays are highly penetrating and are widely used in medical imaging and in various…
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Wave Function
Introduction The wave function, denoted by the Greek letter psi (), is a mathematical function that describes the quantum state of a physical system. It provides the probabilities of the outcomes of measurements of physical quantities such as position, momentum, and energy. Schrödinger Equation The evolution of the wave function in time is governed by…