How does X-ray diffraction aid in the understanding of the structure of molecules?

Answer 1

X-ray diffraction is the investigative use of X-rays to discover the internal structure of a number of different things. The basic approach is to set up a target material and direct a beam of X-rays at it. By looking at the pattern of the scattered X-rays noting the scattering angles and their relative intensities, observers can come to informed conclusions about the internal structure of that target material. It must be noted that the manner in which X-rays scatter can vary a good deal, and X-ray diffraction technology has become a broad field with diverging and complex investigative techniques. Even so, the fundamentals remain the same.