BRAINCAKEProduction of X-rays
X-rays are high-energy electromagnetic photons. In a hospital they are made when fast-moving electrons are rapidly decelerated by a metal target.
Electrons are accelerated through a potential difference V, so each gains kinetic energy eV. When an electron slows down suddenly near the nuclei of the target, it loses kinetic energy as X-ray photons (braking radiation). One electron may lose its energy in several steps, so a continuous range of photon energies is produced. A few sharp peaks are added where electrons knock out inner electrons of the target atoms.
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All 20 lessons in Medical Imaging · All OCR A-level Physics topics