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X-rays are
Explanation
X-rays are a form of high-energy electromagnetic radiation composed of photons [2]. Unlike alpha or beta particles, which carry positive or negative charges respectively, photons are electrically neutral and massless quanta. According to the principles of electromagnetism, electric fields interact with charged particles, and magnetic fields exert forces (Lorentz force) only on moving charged particles or magnetic dipoles. Since X-rays do not contain any charged particles, they do not experience a transverse force when passing through these fields [2]. Consequently, X-rays are not deflected by either an electric field or a magnetic field and maintain their straight trajectory. This property distinguishes them from electron beams, which are easily deflected by misaligned magnetic fields in X-ray tubes [1]. While X-rays can be scattered by collisions with electrons in matter, they remain unaffected by external static electromagnetic fields.
Sources
- [2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/short-wavelength-x-rays
- [1] https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17654908/