Braggs

Braggs refers to the Bragg surname and, in particular, to the Bragg family whose most prominent members were Sir William Henry Bragg and his son Sir William Lawrence Bragg. The pair, often described together as the Braggs, made foundational contributions to the science of crystallography. They were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1915 for their pioneering work on the analysis of crystal structures by means of X-rays, establishing methods that transformed chemistry, physics, and materials science.

A central achievement associated with the Braggs is Bragg's law, which provides a relation between the wavelength of incident X-rays, the angle at which they are diffracted by a crystal, and the spacing between crystal planes. Expressed simply, Bragg's law states that nλ = 2d sin θ, where n is an integer, λ is the X-ray wavelength, d is the interplanar spacing, and θ is the angle of incidence. This law enabled researchers to deduce atomic arrangements in crystals by interpreting diffraction patterns, effectively turning X-ray diffraction into a practical tool for structural determination.

The Bragg family’s work laid the groundwork for X-ray crystallography, a discipline that underpins modern chemistry, biochemistry, geology, and materials science. By revealing how atoms are arranged in solids, Bragg-related methods have informed the structures of countless minerals, drugs, and biological macromolecules, and they continue to influence research and industry today. The surname Bragg (and its plural Braggs) remains associated with these enduring contributions to science.