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Alpha Rule (lemmy.ohaa.xyz)

submitted 8 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 61 points 8 months ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 months ago (2 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

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.)

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago (1 children)

German for example does this.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

Ix-Strahlung certainly doesn't roll off the tongue.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 months ago

Here's a link with more details on the story