The idea is that, due to the small wavelength of X-rays, atoms can serve as a diffraction grid - causing diffraction patterns. (If you don't know about diffraction, I suggest you search in the questions for "diffraction", or ask a separate question for diffraction.) Crystals are good for this, because of their regular structure.
X-ray diffraction is a common method for determining crystal structure.
No, x-ray diffraction and crystallography are not synonymous terms in the field of material analysis. X-ray diffraction is a technique used to study the atomic and molecular structure of materials, while crystallography is the broader scientific study of crystals and their structures, which can include various methods beyond just x-ray diffraction.
X-ray diffraction uses X-rays to study the atomic structure of materials, while neutron diffraction uses neutrons. Neutron diffraction is particularly useful for studying light elements like hydrogen because neutrons interact strongly with them, while X-ray diffraction is better for heavy elements. Neutron diffraction also provides information about magnetic structures due to the neutron's magnetic moment.
its used in studying crystals (X ray crystallography)
Although many people would not fully understand this electron diffraction gives you only one plane. X-Ray diffraction will give you a scattering of all the planes in one measurement.
Masao Kakudo has written: 'X-ray diffraction by polymers' -- subject(s): Diffraction, X-ray crystallography, X-rays, Polymers, Polymers and polymerization
Francis Crick and James Watson used existing data and research, particularly X-ray diffraction images of DNA by Rosalind Franklin, to build models of the DNA molecule. They proposed the double helix structure of DNA in 1953, which revolutionized our understanding of genetics and heredity. Their model explained how genetic information is stored and replicated in living organisms.
Leroy Elbert Alexander has written: 'X-ray diffraction methods in polymer science' -- subject(s): X-rays, Diffraction, X-ray crystallography, Polymers and polymerization
Rosalind Franklin
Elemental carbon can have two different solid phases with differing spatial (position) ... Crystal structures are determined experimentally by X-Ray Diffraction. So the position of the element is determined experimentally by X-ray diffraction of a crystal of the element.
electrons have ~6 orders of magnitude higher scattering cross section compared to x-rays.
Rosalind Franklin