Radiologic Physics: X-Ray Interactions Chapter 8 Quiz

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Questions and Answers

What is the main difference between x-rays and gamma rays?

Gamma rays are produced by nuclear reactions, while x-rays are produced by electron interactions

Gamma rays travel at the speed of light, while x-rays travel at half the speed of light

Gamma rays have higher energy than x-rays

Gamma rays are naturally occurring, while x-rays are artificially produced (correct)

What happens when an incident electron hits the anode target?

The electron is absorbed by the anode, and no x-ray photon is produced

The kinetic energy of the electron is transferred to the anode, resulting in heat or an x-ray photon (correct)

The electron is deflected by the anode, and the energy is lost as a gamma ray

The electron passes through the anode without any interaction

How does the speed or mass of the incident electron affect the quality and quantity of x-ray photons produced?

Higher speed of the incident electron results in higher quality, but lower quantity of photons

Higher speed or mass of the incident electron results in lower quality and quantity of photons

Higher speed or mass of the incident electron results in higher quality and quantity of photons (correct)

The speed or mass of the incident electron has no effect on the quality and quantity of photons produced

What percentage of the incident electron's kinetic energy is converted into heat?

99% Signup and view all the answers

How many times does the incident electron typically interact with the anode target before it loses enough energy to continue through the circuit?

What is the main cause of the outer shell becoming excited and releasing energy as heat?

Target interactions Signup and view all the answers

Which two materials are commonly used as the target material due to their high atomic number and 6 electron shells?

Tungsten and rhenium Signup and view all the answers

What is the meaning of the German word 'Bremsstrahlung'?

Braking or slowing down Signup and view all the answers

What is the main cause of Bremsstrahlung interactions?

The incident electron has enough energy to pass through the orbiting electrons and get close to the nucleus. Signup and view all the answers

What is the main factor that determines whether Bremsstrahlung or characteristic interactions will occur?

All of the above Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an electron slows down during a bremsstrahlung interaction?

The electron loses energy and changes direction Signup and view all the answers

What is the energy of a bremsstrahlung photon equal to?

The difference between the entering and exiting kinetic energy of the electron Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an electron gets closer to the nucleus during a bremsstrahlung interaction?

The electron slows down more, and more energy is transferred into an x-ray photon Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an electron is farther away from the nucleus during a bremsstrahlung interaction?

The electron slows down less, and less energy is transferred into an x-ray photon Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an electron loses all of its energy during a bremsstrahlung interaction?

The electron drifts away back into the current flow Signup and view all the answers

What happens when an electron has multiple bremsstrahlung interactions?

The energy of the x-ray photons is not predictable Signup and view all the answers

What happens to the incident electron after it causes ionization?

The incident electron continues on in a different direction Signup and view all the answers

What is the energy of the characteristic X-ray photon emitted when an electron transitions from the L shell to the K shell?

$29$ keV Signup and view all the answers

What is the total energy of the characteristic X-ray photons emitted in the cascade shown in the image?

$65$ keV Signup and view all the answers

What is the main component of the X-ray spectrum between 80-100 kVp?

Bremsstrahlung photons Signup and view all the answers

What is the purpose of plotting the X-ray spectrum on a graph?

To determine the energy distribution of the X-ray photons Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

X-Ray Production

X-rays are produced when a high-speed electron from the cathode hits the anode target.
Incident electrons hit the anode at half the speed of light, transferring kinetic energy to the anode target, resulting in heat or an x-ray photon.
The higher the speed or mass of the incident electron, the higher the quality and quantity of photons produced.

Target Outcomes

Incident electrons may go through several interactions (1000 times or more) before losing enough energy to continue through the circuit.
The outcomes of these interactions are heat and x-ray production.

Heat Production

99% of incident electron kinetic energy is converted into heat.
1% of the kinetic energy is converted into x-ray photons.
As the electron's kinetic energy increases, the efficiency of x-ray production also increases.

Target Interactions

There are two types of interactions that cause radiation to be emitted: Bremsstrahlung and Characteristic interactions.
The determining factors for which interaction occurs are the incident electron's kinetic energy and the target electron's binding energy.

Bremsstrahlung Interactions

Bremsstrahlung (German for "brake" or "slow down") occurs when an incident electron interacts with the force field of the nucleus.
The incident electron has enough energy to pass through the orbiting electrons and get close to the nucleus.
Mutual attraction between the nucleus and electron slows down the electron, changing its direction and losing energy, which is then converted into x-ray photons (Brems photons).
Photon energy is equal to the difference between the entering and exiting kinetic energy of the electron.

Bremsstrahlung Energy

The energy of Bremsstrahlung is not predictable.
One electron can have many interactions, resulting in many Brem photons, each with less energy than the previous.

Characteristic Interactions

Characteristic interactions occur when an incident electron interacts with an inner-shell electron, knocking it out of its orbit and causing ionization.
The incident electron continues on in a different direction, and the ejected electron fills the hole in the inner shell.

Characteristic Cascade

A characteristic cascade is a series of energy transitions, resulting in the emission of characteristic photons.
The energy of the characteristic photons is dependent on the energy level of the inner shell (K, L, M, N, or O).

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Description

Test your knowledge on X-ray production and the interactions between high-speed electrons and anode targets in radiologic physics. Explore concepts such as the difference between x-rays and gamma rays, the transfer of kinetic energy, and the generation of heat or x-ray photons.