Final answer:
It is false that X-rays travel through space faster than visible light; they travel at the same speed in a vacuum. What distinguishes X-rays from visible light is their shorter wavelengths, higher frequencies, and higher energy, allowing X-rays to penetrate matter more effectively.
Step-by-step explanation:
The statement that X-rays travel through space faster than visible light because they have more energy is false. The speed of electromagnetic radiation in a vacuum, which includes both X-rays and visible light, is constant and is known as the speed of light. What differentiates X-rays from visible light is their energy, frequency, and wavelength, but not their speed.
Comparing the characteristics of X-rays and visible light:
b. X-rays have shorter wavelengths (1 × 10⁻⁸ - 5 × 10⁻¹² m) and higher frequencies (3 × 10¹⁶ - 6 × 10¹⁹ Hz) than visible light (7.5 × 10⁻⁷ - 4.0 × 10⁻⁷ m; 4.0 × 10¹⁴ - 7.5 x 10¹⁴ Hz). X-rays have high energies because of their high frequencies, and this enables them to penetrate matter to greater depths compared to visible light.
Patients in a doctor’s office may be concerned about receiving a chest X-ray because X-ray photons carry considerably more energy, which can be harmful. This is in contrast to visible light, which has lower energy photons that are less likely to cause damage when interacting with tissues.