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submitted 4 months ago by Oha@lemmy.ohaa.xyz to c/196@lemmy.blahaj.zone

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[-] Neato@ttrpg.network 32 points 4 months ago

Because neutrons are uncharged, they are more penetrating than alpha radiation or beta radiation. In some cases they are more penetrating than gamma radiation, which is impeded in materials of high atomic number.

I did not know that neutrons could penetrate farther than gamma rays by their virtue of being neutral. Also never heard gamma rays be called y-rays. Wonder what the z-rays will be if we ever name any.

[-] cafeinux@infosec.pub 60 points 4 months ago

γ is the Greek letter gamma. Those are γ-rays, not y-rays.

[-] Pilgrim@beehaw.org 4 points 4 months ago

So why are X-rays the only ones that are just X if the rest are Greek

[-] Malgas@beehaw.org 12 points 4 months ago

In an 1895 paper, Röntgen used "X" to label an unknown type of radiation. And the name stuck, despite his later objections. (Some languages do call them Röntgen rays.)