Plotted is the intensity \(I\) of light (or count rate of photons) as a function of wavelength \(\lambda\). \( K_{\alpha} \) and \( K_{\beta} \) are two characteristic spectral lines that occur during the emission of X-rays. The main difference between these lines lies in their energy and frequency.
The \( K_{\alpha} \) line has higher energy and frequency than the \( K_{\beta} \) line. K-alpha is created when an electron from the K-shell of an atom falls onto a hole in the L-shell, while the K-beta line is created by the transition of an electron from the K-shell onto a hole in the M-shell.
The differences in energy levels and electron transitions lead to different frequencies and energy emissions, enabling their specific identification and differentiation. In X-ray spectroscopy, these characteristic lines are used to identify the atom or molecule that emitted the X-rays.
