Meaghan Piretti Study Guide
Comprehensive Resource To Help You Ace 2026-2027 Exams
Includes Frequently Tested Questions With ELABORATED
100% Correct COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Guaranteed Pass First Attempt!! Current Update!!
1. Thermionic emission - Correct Answer: heating of the filament to the point
that electrons boil off its surface
2. What accelerates the electrons over to the anode - Correct Answer: kVp
3. What decelerates the electrons? - Correct Answer: anode target (when the
exposure switch is activated)
4. What percentage is heat vs x-ray photons at the anode? - Correct Answer:
99% heat, 1% xrays
4. What are the four x-ray production steps - Correct Answer: 1. The source of
free electrons
2. Acceleration of electrons
3. Focusing of electrons
4. Deceleration of electrons
,5. The source of free electrons (describe whats going on) - Correct Answer:
The filament consists of a small coil of tungsten wire on the cathode side of the
tube
-a current is passed through the wire and heats it up
- this enables electrons to be released from the filament: thermionic emission
- as the tungsten is heated a space charge is forming
-the space charge is the electron source for the x-ray production. if you increase
mA, you increase the current which increases the number of x-rays being created
6. Acceleration of electrons - Correct Answer: - kVp forces the electrons across
the tube giving them kinetic energy
7. Focusing of electrons - Correct Answer: -Focusing cup houses the filament
wire
-Cup holds the electrons around the wire in a cloud (space charge) until the
exposure switch is activated; when the kVp is applied, the electrons are focused
into a narrow beam directed toward the anode
8. Deceleration of electrons - Correct Answer: Electrons decelerate when they
strike the anode.
Anode is a tungsten disk with a high atomic number and high melting point
9. Bremsstrahlung radiation - Correct Answer: Projectile (high speed) electron
interacts with the electrostatic charge of the target nucleus (tungsten cathode)
1)slows down
,2)changes direction
3)loses some of its energy
-The greater the direction change, the greater energy loss and the brem photon
will possess more energy
10. Characteristic radiation - Correct Answer: projectile electron interacts
with a tungsten target atom by ejecting an inner shell electron and ionizing the
atom
11. Where do characteristic and bremsstrahlung interactions occur - Correct
Answer: At the tube
12. Do characteristic and bremsstrahlung interactions start with and electron or
photon - Correct Answer: Electron
13. Properties of the X-ray beam - Correct Answer: 1. Travel in straight lines
2. Highly penetrating, invisible rays
3. Electrically neutral, no mass
4. Wide range of wavelengths
5. Travel at the speed of light
6. Capable of ionizing matter
7. Cannot be focused by a lens
8. Each photon carries its own energy
9. High frequency
, 10. Effects of digital images
11. Causes certain crystals to fluoresce
12. Produces secondary and scatter radiation
How does the x-ray beam travel - Correct Answer: In a straight line
Speed of the x-ray beam - Correct Answer: 3x10^8
Does the x-ray beam have a mass? - Correct Answer: No
Does the x-ray beam have a charge - Correct Answer: No, neutral
Wavelength - Correct Answer: Distance from peak to peak
Frequency - Correct Answer: The number of complete waves that pass a given
point in a certain amount of time
How is wavelength measured? - Correct Answer: peak to peak
How does increasing the energy affect wavelength - Correct Answer: Inverse;
decrease wavelength
Comprehensive Resource To Help You Ace 2026-2027 Exams
Includes Frequently Tested Questions With ELABORATED
100% Correct COMPLETE SOLUTIONS
Guaranteed Pass First Attempt!! Current Update!!
1. Thermionic emission - Correct Answer: heating of the filament to the point
that electrons boil off its surface
2. What accelerates the electrons over to the anode - Correct Answer: kVp
3. What decelerates the electrons? - Correct Answer: anode target (when the
exposure switch is activated)
4. What percentage is heat vs x-ray photons at the anode? - Correct Answer:
99% heat, 1% xrays
4. What are the four x-ray production steps - Correct Answer: 1. The source of
free electrons
2. Acceleration of electrons
3. Focusing of electrons
4. Deceleration of electrons
,5. The source of free electrons (describe whats going on) - Correct Answer:
The filament consists of a small coil of tungsten wire on the cathode side of the
tube
-a current is passed through the wire and heats it up
- this enables electrons to be released from the filament: thermionic emission
- as the tungsten is heated a space charge is forming
-the space charge is the electron source for the x-ray production. if you increase
mA, you increase the current which increases the number of x-rays being created
6. Acceleration of electrons - Correct Answer: - kVp forces the electrons across
the tube giving them kinetic energy
7. Focusing of electrons - Correct Answer: -Focusing cup houses the filament
wire
-Cup holds the electrons around the wire in a cloud (space charge) until the
exposure switch is activated; when the kVp is applied, the electrons are focused
into a narrow beam directed toward the anode
8. Deceleration of electrons - Correct Answer: Electrons decelerate when they
strike the anode.
Anode is a tungsten disk with a high atomic number and high melting point
9. Bremsstrahlung radiation - Correct Answer: Projectile (high speed) electron
interacts with the electrostatic charge of the target nucleus (tungsten cathode)
1)slows down
,2)changes direction
3)loses some of its energy
-The greater the direction change, the greater energy loss and the brem photon
will possess more energy
10. Characteristic radiation - Correct Answer: projectile electron interacts
with a tungsten target atom by ejecting an inner shell electron and ionizing the
atom
11. Where do characteristic and bremsstrahlung interactions occur - Correct
Answer: At the tube
12. Do characteristic and bremsstrahlung interactions start with and electron or
photon - Correct Answer: Electron
13. Properties of the X-ray beam - Correct Answer: 1. Travel in straight lines
2. Highly penetrating, invisible rays
3. Electrically neutral, no mass
4. Wide range of wavelengths
5. Travel at the speed of light
6. Capable of ionizing matter
7. Cannot be focused by a lens
8. Each photon carries its own energy
9. High frequency
, 10. Effects of digital images
11. Causes certain crystals to fluoresce
12. Produces secondary and scatter radiation
How does the x-ray beam travel - Correct Answer: In a straight line
Speed of the x-ray beam - Correct Answer: 3x10^8
Does the x-ray beam have a mass? - Correct Answer: No
Does the x-ray beam have a charge - Correct Answer: No, neutral
Wavelength - Correct Answer: Distance from peak to peak
Frequency - Correct Answer: The number of complete waves that pass a given
point in a certain amount of time
How is wavelength measured? - Correct Answer: peak to peak
How does increasing the energy affect wavelength - Correct Answer: Inverse;
decrease wavelength
