X-ray diffractionX-rays can be defined as "electromagnetic waves of short wavelength, capable of penetrating a certain thickness of matter". -ray is approximately 1 Ã… (10-10 m). They lie in the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between gamma rays and ultraviolet light and have proven very useful in determining crystal structures since their discovery on November 8, 1895. German scientist Wilhelm Roentgen was conducting experiments in his laboratory on the effects of cathode rays. Specifically, he was looking at the effect of passing an electric charge through low-pressure gas. In doing so, Roentgen noticed something that previous studies had missed. As the current passed through the cathode ray, other rays were emitted and passed through everyday materials such as wood, aluminum and paper. Roentgen also observed that a surface coated with barium platinum cyanide and placed on the outside of the cathode discharge tube still emitted light, despite being hidden by the discharge light. The conclusions Roentgen reached were that a new type of radiation had passed through the air and illuminated the screen (X-rays). Thanks to this discovery in 1895, scientists were able to probe crystalline structures at the atomic level. X-ray diffraction has been used in two main areas; for the characterization of fingerprints of crystalline materials and the determination of their structure. Each crystalline solid has its own unique X-ray dust pattern that can be used as a clue to its identification. Once the material is identified, X-ray crystallography can be used to determine its structure, such as how the atoms assemble together in a crystalline state and what the distance and angle between the atoms are. We can determine the size and shape of a unit cell for any compound more easily using X-ray diffraction. X-ray diffraction is the scattering of X-rays by crystal atoms,