Röntgenkristallografiaan

Röntgenkristallografiaan is the Finnish term for X-ray crystallography, a scientific technique used to determine the atomic and molecular structure of a crystal. In this method, a crystal is bombarded with X-rays, and the resulting diffraction pattern is analyzed. The X-rays are scattered by the electrons in the atoms of the crystal lattice. The way these X-rays scatter is dependent on the arrangement of atoms within the crystal. By measuring the angles and intensities of the diffracted X-rays, scientists can reconstruct the electron density map of the crystal, which in turn reveals the positions of the atoms. This information allows for the determination of bond lengths, bond angles, and the overall three-dimensional structure of the molecule or material. Röntgenkristallografiaan is a powerful tool used in various scientific fields, including chemistry, physics, biology, and materials science, to understand the fundamental properties of substances. It has been instrumental in elucidating the structures of proteins, DNA, viruses, and a wide range of inorganic and organic compounds. The process typically involves growing suitable crystals, exposing them to monochromatic X-rays, recording the diffraction data, and then using computational methods to solve the structure.