Recently C. V. Raman and K. R. Ramanathan have published a theory which attempts to explain the greatly increased scattering of monochromatic radiation from liquids, which usually occurs at some angle or angles in the angular region 7° to 12° from the x-ray beam. The theory considers that this increased scattering is due to a certain degree of regularity existing between molecules which can be estimated thermodynamically from the compressibility of the fluid. The intensity of the scattered radiation can be computed from a formula which is given. Practically the only experimental verification of his theory is a curve published by Hewlett on the scattering of x-rays from liquid benzene. The agreement of Raman and Ramanathan theory with the published curve is very striking. It is found, however, that when the resolving power of the x-ray spectrometer is increased that the single peak observed by Hewlett shows a complicated structure of at least two and perhaps more peaks. The theory predicts that the peak will be asymmetrical in nature, i.e., very steep and sharp on the small angle side but less steep on the side toward the large angles. The asymmetrical nature of the peaks is not noticed. From the lack of agreement with experimental facts and from certain theoretical considerations the conclusion is reached that the theory is not adequate to explain the observed results.
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science
©1924 Iowa Academy of Science, Inc.
Collins, E. H.
"A Note on the Theory of X-Ray Diffraction in Liquids and Amorphous Solids by Raman and Ramanathan,"
Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science, 31(1), 373-373.
Available at: https://scholarworks.uni.edu/pias/vol31/iss1/115