X rays vs UV rays

[the guy]

since X rays have more energy than UV rays, does that mean that they will cause the same chemical reactions as UV but faster?

[DrP]

Depends upon the wavelength of the bonds you are trying to break to initiate reaction. UV will initiate a reaction if it breaks bonds in one of the reactants, leaving behind a radical that will react. If you hit the system with an x-ray instead, then you might not break your target bonds as they vibrate/break at different frequencies. It coulds pass straight through, or hit different bonds.

 

This leads to a question: Does anyone know if you can get a different reaction occuring by hitting the same system with different radiation? i.e. the UV breaking one type of bond, leading to reaction A. Then x-rays, microwaves or some other type of radiation hitting the same starting system, breaking different bonds, leading to a reaction B with different products?

[insane_alien]

yes it would be possible to change the reaction occuring by changing the wavelength of light it is irradiated with.

 

although X-Rays are high enough up the energy scale that they're just going to ionize everything rather than merely breaking a bond.

[Sisyphus]

X-rays, with their smaller wavelength, slip right through a lot of stuff that would absorb UV. Hence, X-ray machines.

[insane_alien]

yes, but i was reffering to when they do eventually hit something.

[Sisyphus]

Yeah, I know. I was giving another reason why increasing the frequency won't just speed up the same effects.