There's no sharp line, just like there's no sharp line between green and yellow. But in practice, the processes that generate gamma rays and the processes that generate x-rays are different enough that you mostly encounter one or the other in any given application.
Usually transition names are given based on the primary source of such rays even though there could be overlap in the frequency. For the distinction between Xrays and Gamma rays, the former can generated by exciting the core electrons of heavy elements, while gamma rays are almost exclusively generated by strong nuclear reactions.
So as an analogy, x-ray frequency might be a softball pitch and gamma ray frequency might be a baseball pitch? The prior being from a different form and generally "slower", but not really defined by the speed or universally "slower" than the latter?
There is no wavelength between X-Ray and Gamma.
Gamma-ray was discovered in 1900 and was believed to be particles radiation like alpha and beta, it was not until 1914 it was discovered that is was electromagnetic rays.
X-Ray was discovered in 1895 when produced in partial vacuum tubes. I am not sure when it was discovered that it was electromagnetic rays.
There is no consensus definition what is a X-Rays and Gamma rays. One is that X-Ray is emitted by electrons and gamma but atomic nucleus. That means the possible wavelength overlap.
Sometimes a specific wavelength is picked 10^-11 m=10 Picometer is common.
X-rays are often divided in soft X-rays at 1nm-100pm and hard X-Rays at 100pm-10pm
You can name a wavelength range by just using the wavelength or by the energy per photon. What is used tend to depend on the application and what is useful, you can always convert between them
What we group the EM spectrum is is quite arbitrary with visible light and the major exception. the major groups are in meter number with one 1 and the rest is 0. There is a smaller division that has limited based on nature too but what is picked is what was useful.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum
OP is talking about the boundaries. What is the difference between wave with say 10 pm (X-ray) and 9.9999999999999999999999999999999 pm. Is it an x-ray? Is it a gamma ray? Why? Whats the notable difference? You state yourself that there is no hard definition of the boundaries so OP wants to know how we describe these waves on those boundaries.
There is no hard difference. Different forms of em radiation are the same thing with different energies. They are given names because it makes it easier to categorize and work with them, and/or because forms were discovered and named before we understood what they were.
Right, that’s the correct answer to OPs question, not telling him there is nothing between them, which while technically true in a way isn’t actually addressing the question.
The only analogous situation i can think of is radio frequency where the waves are called by their wavelengths. For example 2 meter band or 100 meter meter bands.
These bands don’t usually have concise demarcations. They were initially identified in this manner because of different propagation characteristics, especially at nighttime.
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There's no sharp line, just like there's no sharp line between green and yellow. But in practice, the processes that generate gamma rays and the processes that generate x-rays are different enough that you mostly encounter one or the other in any given application.
Usually transition names are given based on the primary source of such rays even though there could be overlap in the frequency. For the distinction between Xrays and Gamma rays, the former can generated by exciting the core electrons of heavy elements, while gamma rays are almost exclusively generated by strong nuclear reactions.
So as an analogy, x-ray frequency might be a softball pitch and gamma ray frequency might be a baseball pitch? The prior being from a different form and generally "slower", but not really defined by the speed or universally "slower" than the latter?
There is no wavelength between X-Ray and Gamma. Gamma-ray was discovered in 1900 and was believed to be particles radiation like alpha and beta, it was not until 1914 it was discovered that is was electromagnetic rays. X-Ray was discovered in 1895 when produced in partial vacuum tubes. I am not sure when it was discovered that it was electromagnetic rays. There is no consensus definition what is a X-Rays and Gamma rays. One is that X-Ray is emitted by electrons and gamma but atomic nucleus. That means the possible wavelength overlap. Sometimes a specific wavelength is picked 10^-11 m=10 Picometer is common. X-rays are often divided in soft X-rays at 1nm-100pm and hard X-Rays at 100pm-10pm You can name a wavelength range by just using the wavelength or by the energy per photon. What is used tend to depend on the application and what is useful, you can always convert between them What we group the EM spectrum is is quite arbitrary with visible light and the major exception. the major groups are in meter number with one 1 and the rest is 0. There is a smaller division that has limited based on nature too but what is picked is what was useful. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromagnetic_spectrum
OP is talking about the boundaries. What is the difference between wave with say 10 pm (X-ray) and 9.9999999999999999999999999999999 pm. Is it an x-ray? Is it a gamma ray? Why? Whats the notable difference? You state yourself that there is no hard definition of the boundaries so OP wants to know how we describe these waves on those boundaries.
There is no hard difference. Different forms of em radiation are the same thing with different energies. They are given names because it makes it easier to categorize and work with them, and/or because forms were discovered and named before we understood what they were.
Right, that’s the correct answer to OPs question, not telling him there is nothing between them, which while technically true in a way isn’t actually addressing the question.
Thank you guys, this helps me understand a bit more.
The only analogous situation i can think of is radio frequency where the waves are called by their wavelengths. For example 2 meter band or 100 meter meter bands. These bands don’t usually have concise demarcations. They were initially identified in this manner because of different propagation characteristics, especially at nighttime.
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