x-ray diffraction

noun Physics.

diffraction of x-rays by the regularly spaced atoms of a crystal, useful for determining the arrangement of the atoms.

Origin of x-ray diffraction

First recorded in 1940–45

Words nearby x-ray diffraction

x-ray astronomy, x-ray binary, x-ray binary star, x-ray burster, x-ray crystallography, x-ray diffraction, x-ray microscope, x-ray photograph, x-ray spectrometer, x-ray spectrometry, x-ray star

Example sentences from the Web for x-ray diffraction

  • X-ray-diffraction studies showed no material differences, nor were there detectable differences in “feel”, smell, or plasticity.

    Atoms, Nature, and Man |Neal O. Hines

British Dictionary definitions for x-ray diffraction

X-ray diffraction

noun

the scattering of X-rays on contact with matter, resulting in changes in radiation intensity, which is used for studying atomic structure

Scientific definitions for x-ray diffraction

x-ray diffraction

The scattering of x-rays by crystal atoms, producing a diffraction pattern that yields information about the structure of the crystal. X-ray diffraction is used in x-ray crystallography.