Bragg’s Law explains how X-rays interact with the atomic planes of crystals, leading to diffraction patterns that reveal the crystal’s internal structure. Discovered by William Lawrence Bragg and his father William Henry Bragg, the law provides a mathematical relationship between the angle of incidence of X-rays and the spacing between atomic layers in a crystal.
When X-rays strike a crystal, they are reflected off different layers of atoms. If the path difference between these reflected waves is an integer multiple of the X-ray wavelength, the waves interfere constructively, creating a bright spot in the diffraction pattern. This condition is captured by Bragg’s Law.
Bragg’s Law is essential for:
- X-ray crystallography, which determines the atomic structure of solids,
- Studying minerals, metals, and biological molecules like DNA and proteins,
- Advancing fields such as materials science, solid-state physics, and chemistry.
By analyzing diffraction patterns, scientists can calculate interatomic distances and understand how atoms are arranged within a material, making Bragg’s Law a foundational tool in structural analysis.