Questions and Answers
What happens if an electron interacts with an inner-shell electron of the target atom?
What results when the interaction is sufficiently violent to ionize the target atom?
Characteristic x-rays.
When are characteristic x-rays emitted?
When an outer-shell electron fills an inner-shell void.
How are characteristic x-rays produced?
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When are characteristic x-rays produced?
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What happens when an outer shell electron fills the vacancy in the K shell?
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What accompanies the transition of an orbital electron from an outer shell to an inner shell?
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The energy of the x-ray is equal to what?
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Only the K-characteristic x-rays of tungsten are useful for imaging.
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How much energy do the L x-rays have, and how do they penetrate into soft tissue?
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Why is this type of x-radiation called characteristic?
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How does the effective energy of characteristic x-rays change?
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Study Notes
Characteristic Radiation Overview
- Characteristic x-rays are produced when an electron interacts with an inner-shell electron of a target atom.
- These x-rays result from a violent interaction that ionizes the target atom, fully removing an inner-shell electron.
Mechanism of Production
- Characteristic x-rays occur when an outer-shell electron fills a void created by the removal of a K-shell electron.
- This process creates a temporary electron void in the K shell, prompting an outer-shell electron to transition and emit an x-ray.
- The emitted x-ray has energy equal to the difference in binding energies of the electrons involved.
Key Energy Considerations
- Only K-characteristic x-rays of tungsten are valuable for imaging due to their significantly higher binding energy.
- L x-rays, approximately 12 keV in energy, have limited penetration capabilities, affecting their utility in imaging, as they only penetrate a few centimeters into soft tissue.
Elemental Characteristics
- Characteristic x-rays are termed so because they are specific to the target element, reflecting its unique binding energies.
- The effective energy of these x-rays increases with the atomic number of the target element, indicating a direct relationship between atomic structure and x-ray energy output.
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Description
Explore the concepts of characteristic radiation with these flashcards focused on Chapter 7. Test your understanding of how characteristic x-rays are produced and their interactions within atoms. Perfect for students studying radiation and atomic physics.