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Lookin' at ponies instead of doing x-ray spectroscopy research. I'm such a good scientist.
Wednesday, 25-May-11 18:53:22 UTC from web-
Wednesday, 25-May-11 18:54:53 UTC from StatusNet Android
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@carcinopony In my non-pony time, I'm supposed to be analyzing data from XAFS experiments on arsenate. Basically, we use synchrotron radiation to analyze matter by hitting stuff with x-rays, and we can measure the interference patterns that emerge from this, which then allows us to determine atomic positioning. It's fun stuff. Almost as fun as ponies.
Wednesday, 25-May-11 18:58:35 UTC from web-
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:01:00 UTC from StatusNet Android
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Wednesday, 25-May-11 18:56:31 UTC from web
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@edman Ponys > science. #dealwithit
Wednesday, 25-May-11 18:57:33 UTC from web -
@edman Ponys > science. #dealwithit
Wednesday, 25-May-11 18:58:45 UTC from web -
@edman hello new brony
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:00:15 UTC from web -
@abigpony Sure thing. Okay, so in general, light carries energy. This energy is determined only by the frequency, so that means that infrared (low freq) is weaker than visible light, which is weaker than x-rays, etc.
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:02:40 UTC from web-
@edman er ist ein Troll
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:04:08 UTC from web
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@abigpony Oops. Hit enter too soon. Anyways, to continue, so when you hit something with really high-power x-rays (basically a laser, but instead of "red" or "blue" it's "x-ray"), you can cause the atoms in the thing you're shooting at (i.e. your sample) to eject electrons.
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:03:46 UTC from web -
@abigpony So basically, these electrons that you blast out with x-ray radiation will actually become wavelike (recall the whole particle/wave duality thing), and will bounce off neighbouring atoms and cause interference patterns that we can measure. It turns out that these specific patterns and whatnot are element-specific. So, for example, if you shoot an x-ray of, say, 11.8 keV of energy into something, and you get a signal response, you know that it's a particular element (for this example, 11.8 is Arsenic)
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:06:07 UTC from web-
@edman i'm horiable at science so i basically have no idea what your talking about but i guess good for you that y'know science
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:08:08 UTC from web
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@abigpony All in all, this allows you to get the 3D geometric distribution of atoms in some sample that you're looking at. In terms of applications, there are lots. The one that I'm working on has to do with uranium mine waste. Arsenic is found in the tailings ponds of these mines, but depending on whether it's octahedral or tetrahedral (when bound to oxygen atoms), it's toxic properties change (and so the environmental regulations for handling it may also change). So recap: Shoot x-rays, bounce electrons around, measure stuff, figure out molecular structure, apply data to industrial applications. Hope that makes it clearer! :)
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:08:33 UTC from web -
@abigpony Actually, maybe if I give an analogy, it might make more sense. The concept itself isn't too hard to get, it's only the details that are complicated. Okay, so lets say you have a miniature house, maybe the size of a big Barbie play house (so like, 2 ft tall or so). Except, this playhouse is made of pingpong balls that are glued together. So you've got another pingpong ball in your hand, and you throw it really hard at the house, and this makes some pingpong balls inside dislodge and bounce around. If you listened really closely to how the stuff bounced around inside when it dislodged, it might give you some clues as to what the inside of the house looks like. This is basically what's going on with the x-ray stuff.
Wednesday, 25-May-11 19:12:19 UTC from web
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