How the X-ray Machine Works & Was Invented: from Hertz to Lenard

The x-ray machine predates the discovery of the x-ray by at least 26 years! This video is on why Heinrich Hertz led Phillip Lenard to create an x-ray machine that was perfectly suited to discover the x-ray and how it worked.
The music is by the fabulous Kim Nalley (and the theme song is her rendition of "Electricity, Electricity" from Schoolhouse Rocks)
The video of an actor portraying Roentgen is from "100 Greatest Discoveries in Medicine" with the fabulous Bill Nye:
• Discovery.100.Greatest...

[@Scanogram]

I recently retired after 35 years of fixing x-ray machines. I now have time to watch videos. Thanks for the history, I'm still learning new things.

[@mikeklaene4359]

A fellow student and myself found an old, cold cathode style, x-ray tube in the store room for the physics lab. This was during the spring of 1964 and we were both seniors. Our physics class was during the last period of the school day so hanging around after class was normal. Our teacher was brand new and had graduated the previous year with his BS in physics from a local college. After doing some research my friend and I convinced the teach to let us see if we could get the x-ray tube to work. We found an old transformer from a neon sign the was rated at 18KV. We hooked it up through a 1B3 high voltage rectifier tube from an old B&W television. We powered the filament on the 1B3 with a 1.5V D cell battery. After completing the wiring and doing a "smoke" test, we connected the leads from our power supply to the x-ray tube and powered it up. We had a geiger counter near the tube and it immediately reacted . However, we were not sure it it was really making x-ray so we tried putting a piece of 4x5 photographic film in an envelope and exposed it with a keyring on top of the bag. When we developed the film is was clear - and no exposure evident. Further investigation revealed the Kodak's Tri-X film is not really sensitive to x-rays. Next we tried putting a piece of fluorescing paper in the bag with a fresh sheet of film and repeated the experiment. This time upon developing the film we could clearly see the desired image. Needless to say, the teacher was impressed that it worked. We both got "A"s on the course.

[@NoahSpurrier]

X-rays are fascinating. I’ve built a few X-ray machines and a CT scanner. All the technical difficulties were fun. Love your channel!

[@jeffharrison1090]

Not sure how I missed this one, but glad that I did! And happier that I stumbled on to it today...back at Starbucks and few things are more enjoyable than have my fav treats, a cup of coffee and one of your videos to watch as perfect complement...lol! Thumbs up as always!!!

[@mgclark46]

I recently found, and am binge-watching your videos. Thanks again!

[@looksintolasers]

I'm systematically watching every one of your videos. The physics is right and I love having these vaguely familiar names from science history brought to life.

[@willsinclair6650]

Nice video. Looking forward to the next one. History of scientific discovery is so interesting!

[@ashtonhicks8835]

Thank you Kathy Loves Physics, very cool!

[@amirbamir]

It was a clear explanation of many contributions in cathode tube in a distinguished way and find out who did exactly what ...

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

Glad you liked it

[@jane-yf9lv]

Thank you for the great video! I'm a vacuum electronics student and it's always so difficult to find relevant materials that can explain the discovery and development of vacuum devices. Thank you again for explaining those clearly and introduce various applications!😘

[@notsogreat123]

X-rays don't develop photographic plates. But they do expose them.

[@joeelward1684]

My grandfather was one of the pioneers and the first Radiologist in Washington DC. Some of his writings are still available online.

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

Wow, that sounds fascinating. Do you have a link?

[@jhyland87]

These are amazing videos :)

[@mnada72]

Big 👍Every day I watch episode. Great channel

[@Gejjang-i-english]

Hi Kathy, would you answer my two questions? 1. I heard that the original purpose of Rontgen's experiment was to see if cathode ray penetrates a glass wall. In your kind drawing, I don't see tjat glass wall. Where would it be? 2. In this video, you show Lenard painted phosphor on the aluminum window. Is this foil also indicated as "phosphor plate"or "phosphor screen"? Always thankful to your videos. They are outstanding, rare ones which focus on REAL science(why & how).

[@danchisholm1]

love these videos! just found you tonight!

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

Daniel C glad you liked it

[@keybawd4023]

Just one more in the chorus of praise that I see you are receiving in the comments section. Another totally absorbing human story carrying the physics with it. I intend to watch ALL your videos. Thank you.

[@donabaypro6782]

Thank you. I find this fascinating.

[@GhulamMustafa-tr2qc]

Lot's of love for you❤️❤️

[@ross3818]

Kathy, you mentioned elsewhere Hertz was given a house which was contaminated and that may have led to his early death. I'm wondering how much radiation Hertz was exposed to during his researches and whether or not that may have been an ingredient in his mysterious malaise.

[@EinsteinsHair]

I've done some Google searches and Heinrich Hertz had what is now called Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (PGA), formerly called Wegener's Granulomatosis, a form of vasculitis, an autoimmune disease without a known cause. None of this was known in Hertz's day. He actually died of complications of surgery, blood poisoning. So it seems it might have been bad luck, not related to anything Hertz was doing.

[@twelvefootboy]

I'm still in the first week honeymoon phase, but have binged on about 15 vids so far. You are a great storyteller with some great material. I'm 3 years too late to be helpful, but FYI, the pronunciation of Auger (as in the electron or the spectroscopy) is usually the French version. AW-zhər according to Google, but I've always heard it with more of a long O sound for the first syllable. It might just be my associates putting on airs, lol.. Please delete this as unnecessary fluff, but I know you care.

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

I do care and yet somehow I still managed to make so many bad pronunciations, especially in German and French.

[@kevinavillain4616]

Since I'm so bad with dates I'm probably wrong on this. At one time I did a lot of comparing of alleged invention dates vs. Patent dates on things like radio and x-ray regarding Tesla and it seems like an assistant Lee found that he patented radio before anyone else and the same was true of x-ray. I think this all had gray areas because of patterns of equipment that did these things versus follow-through shall we say. Nevertheless are looking forward to looking at all your videos of all of these incredible people.

[@roycefaggotter6860]

I like your channel, very good the way you do it. I have put you up on my site.

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

Royce Faggotter thank you! What is your site so I can check it out?

[@markrowland1366]

Working in Neon signage, I made several X-ray devices. Small success and lots of shielding. Exposed a little film.

[@allanrichardson9081]

I just had to ask: at 10:30 you have three pictures to go with the voice over of the three men who created X-rays unknowingly. The three captions all say “ X-Ray of ,” and the first two are actual X-ray pictures. But the third caption, “Tesla, X-ray of a nut,” is over a regular photograph of Tesla himself! Is this a bit of sarcasm, or did you not have an actual X-ray of a nut! If the former, it is brilliant!

[@andrewdewar8159]

I like your videos.

[@donberg01]

So who did discover X-Rays? Roentgen or Becquerel? I'm confused!

[@tyharness2527]

hello Kathy. slide says Rumford Metal . did you mean medal? typo? great vids.

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

ty harness ha! Yes I did. What a silly mistake 😊

[@dotanwolf5640]

great work. there is this unknown figure...christian birkeland. i think he is parallel with the other great mindes of electricity.

[@jmchez]

Count Rumford! Real name Benjamin Thompson. What a guy! Worthy of his own video. He was born in Massachusetts but being a royalist fought against the American patriots (the rotten scoundrel) left after Independence and abandoned his wife (the rotten scoundrel). Kept discovering things, invented a soup for the poor, designed a beer garden for the public, hired Humphry Davy, married Antoine Lavoisier's widow, argued with her all the time while making fun of Lavoisier's mistakes in thermodynamics (the rotten scoundrel), took the name Rumford from a town in New Hampshire. Whew!

[@Kathy_Loves_Physics]

jmchez Count Rumford was fascinating- plus his experiment with boring holes in cannon balls was super important. I do need to make a video about him.

[@patrickford7582]

I was taught that Auger was pronounce O J, as in O J Simpson.

[@martinmalloy8119]

Bremsstrahlung :)

[@W4BIN]

Crookes did not develop those photographic plates, he exposed them with the X-rays. Ron W4BIN

[@jimimaze]

Tesla's picture of a nut in 1984. Is he the nut?

[@shawnmulberry774]

Bremsstrahlung