hie guys im studying medical physics and i would need your help on a certain question .
Q: Describe the energy changes that occur in the stages of x-ray production and use .
2007-10-30 05:03:24 · 4 answers · asked by gina 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
The typical x-ray apparatus consists of an evacuated tube containing a tungsten filament and an anode of some material of high atomic number (often tungsten). A current through the filament brings it to nearly white heat, at which temperature it emits electrons. These are accelerated toward the anode by a high voltage (typically 100 kV), where they strike the anode, losing energy to the anode electrons and also emitting x-rays in the process. The energy which is not carried off by the x-rays heats the anode; to avoid melting it, the anode may be turned by a motor so that different areas of it are exposed to electron bombardment.
2007-10-30 05:10:51 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm no physicist, but I know that production of x-rays is as the first answer says to do with the electrical excitation of electrons in certain elements and promotion to higher orbitals. As the electrons step down from the orbitals they release e-magnetic radiation in the X-ray range.
I know they are used medically by selective absorbtion into tissue, and subsequent collection on a photographic plate, but I have used them only as part of X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, where the X-rays are focussed onto a substance, again causing the excitation of electrons in the substance, which depending on the elements present, give off differing frequencies of EMR, which are measured to determine the concs. of each within the sample. I suspect this could be used in medical applications.
2007-10-30 12:11:54 · answer #2 · answered by Steve A 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Both the answers of D24 and rhsaunde are correct. First are called discrete x-rays. They are of some specified frequency or wavelength. The mechanism by which the x-rays are produced following what rhsaunde says are called continuous x-rays they have all possible long wavelengths but not below a certain cutoff wavelength fixed by the maximum voltage of the X- ray tube.
2007-10-30 12:24:00 · answer #3 · answered by Let'slearntothink 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
you give energy to electrons and when they rise up to a less stable energy level, they fall back down to stabalise and then the excess energy is released as X-rays. MEDICAL PHYSICS IS BORING I DID IT HATED IT AND WISHED I HAD TAKE NUCLEAR PHYSICS, but they wouldn't let me
2007-10-30 12:09:45 · answer #4 · answered by D24 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋