X unit
From Infogalactic: the planetary knowledge core
| SI units | |
|---|---|
| 100.21×10−15 m | 100.21×10−6 nm |
| Natural units | |
| 6.2007×1021 ℓP | 1.8937×10−3 a0 |
| US customary units (Imperial units) | |
| 328.77×10−15 ft | 3.9453×10−12 in |
- For the software testing tools, see xUnit.
The x unit (symbol xu) is a unit of length approximately equal to 0.1 pm (10−13 m).[1] It is used to quote the wavelength of X-rays and gamma rays.
Originally defined by the Swedish physicist Manne Siegbahn (1886–1978) in 1925, the x unit could not at that time be measured directly; the definition was instead made in terms of the spacing between planes of the calcite crystals used in the measuring apparatus. One x unit was set at 1⁄3029.04 of the spacing of the (200) planes of calcite at 18 °C.
In modern usage, there are two separate x units, which are defined in terms of the wavelengths of the two most commonly used X-ray lines in X-ray crystallography:[2]
- the copper x unit (symbol xu(Cu Kα1)) is defined so that the wavelength of the Kα1 line of copper is exactly 1537.400 xu(Cu Kα1);
- the molybdenum x unit (symbol xu(Mo Kα1)) is defined so that the wavelength of the Kα1 line of molybdenum is exactly 707.831 xu(Mo Kα1).
The 2006 CODATA recommended values for these units are:[3]
- 1 xu(Cu Kα1) = 1.00207699(28)×10−13 m,
- 1 xu(Mo Kα1) = 1.00209955(53)×10−13 m.
