1
Ohio Radiographer Licensing Examination Practice Questions
Section 1: Radiation Physics and X-ray Production (1–20)
1. Which interaction between x-rays and matter contributes most to occupational scatter
radiation exposure in diagnostic radiography?
A. Coherent scattering
B. Compton scattering
C. Pair production
D. Photodisintegration
Answer: B. Compton interactions produce scattered photons that can travel away from the
patient and contribute substantially to occupational exposure.
2. Which factor primarily controls the quantity of x-rays produced at the tube?
A. kVp
B. mAs
C. SID
D. OID
Answer: B. Milliampere-seconds determines the quantity of electrons crossing the x-ray
tube and therefore strongly controls x-ray photon quantity.
3. Which interaction is primarily responsible for producing image contrast in diagnostic
radiography?
A. Pair production
B. Photoelectric absorption
C. Compton scattering
D. Photodisintegration
Answer: B. Photoelectric absorption occurs when the x-ray photon transfers all energy to an
inner-shell electron, contributing significantly to subject contrast.
4. Increasing kVp generally results in:
A. Lower beam energy
B. Greater beam penetration
C. Less receptor exposure under all conditions
D. Elimination of scatter
Answer: B. Increasing kVp increases photon energy and penetration.
5. What is the primary purpose of collimation?
A. Increase scatter radiation
B. Increase patient motion
C. Restrict the x-ray beam to the area of clinical interest
D. Increase focal spot size
, 2
Answer: C. Collimation limits the irradiated field, reducing patient dose and scatter radiation
while improving image contrast.
6. Which device is used to reduce scatter reaching the image receptor?
A. AEC chamber
B. Grid
C. Collimator lamp
D. Rotor
Answer: B. A grid absorbs much of the scatter radiation traveling toward the image receptor,
improving image contrast.
7. What is the most important disadvantage of using a grid?
A. Increased magnification
B. Increased patient exposure
C. Reduced spatial resolution
D. Increased motion
Answer: B. Because a grid absorbs some primary radiation along with scatter, greater
exposure is usually needed to maintain receptor exposure.
8. Which grid characteristic refers to the height of the lead strips compared with the
distance between them?
A. Grid frequency
B. Grid ratio
C. Grid density
D. Grid focal distance
Answer: B. Grid ratio is the height of the lead strips divided by the distance between them.
9. Which principle states that radiation intensity decreases as the square of the distance
from the source increases?
A. Reciprocity law
B. Inverse square law
C. 15% rule
D. Heel effect
Answer: B. The inverse square law describes how exposure intensity decreases with the
square of distance.
10. What is the primary function of the collimator?
A. Increase scatter radiation
B. Restrict the x-ray beam
C. Increase focal-spot size
D. Increase exposure time
, 3
Answer: B. Collimation limits the field size, reducing patient exposure and scatter radiation.
11. The anode in an x-ray tube is usually made of:
A. Copper
B. Lead
C. Tungsten
D. Aluminum
Answer: C. Tungsten's high atomic number and melting point make it ideal for x-ray
production.
12. What is the controlling factor for x-ray beam penetration?
A. mA
B. kVp
C. SID
D. OID
Answer: B. Kilovoltage peak controls the energy and penetrating power of the x-ray beam.
13. Increasing mAs results in:
A. Lower image brightness
B. Higher image brightness
C. Higher image density
D. No change
Answer: C. mAs determines the total number of x-rays produced, affecting image blackness
(density).
14. Which type of x-ray results from interaction of the projectile electron with a target
nucleus, also known as braking radiation?
A. Characteristic x-ray
B. Bremsstrahlung x-ray
C. Compton x-ray
D. Coherent x-ray
Answer: B. Bremsstrahlung x-rays are produced when electrons slow down near the nucleus.
15. 99% of the energy of electrons striking the target is converted into:
A. X-rays
B. Heat
C. Light
D. Sound
Answer: B. The vast majority of kinetic energy in the x-ray tube is converted to heat.
16. What is the function of the focusing cup?
A. Cools the anode
Ohio Radiographer Licensing Examination Practice Questions
Section 1: Radiation Physics and X-ray Production (1–20)
1. Which interaction between x-rays and matter contributes most to occupational scatter
radiation exposure in diagnostic radiography?
A. Coherent scattering
B. Compton scattering
C. Pair production
D. Photodisintegration
Answer: B. Compton interactions produce scattered photons that can travel away from the
patient and contribute substantially to occupational exposure.
2. Which factor primarily controls the quantity of x-rays produced at the tube?
A. kVp
B. mAs
C. SID
D. OID
Answer: B. Milliampere-seconds determines the quantity of electrons crossing the x-ray
tube and therefore strongly controls x-ray photon quantity.
3. Which interaction is primarily responsible for producing image contrast in diagnostic
radiography?
A. Pair production
B. Photoelectric absorption
C. Compton scattering
D. Photodisintegration
Answer: B. Photoelectric absorption occurs when the x-ray photon transfers all energy to an
inner-shell electron, contributing significantly to subject contrast.
4. Increasing kVp generally results in:
A. Lower beam energy
B. Greater beam penetration
C. Less receptor exposure under all conditions
D. Elimination of scatter
Answer: B. Increasing kVp increases photon energy and penetration.
5. What is the primary purpose of collimation?
A. Increase scatter radiation
B. Increase patient motion
C. Restrict the x-ray beam to the area of clinical interest
D. Increase focal spot size
, 2
Answer: C. Collimation limits the irradiated field, reducing patient dose and scatter radiation
while improving image contrast.
6. Which device is used to reduce scatter reaching the image receptor?
A. AEC chamber
B. Grid
C. Collimator lamp
D. Rotor
Answer: B. A grid absorbs much of the scatter radiation traveling toward the image receptor,
improving image contrast.
7. What is the most important disadvantage of using a grid?
A. Increased magnification
B. Increased patient exposure
C. Reduced spatial resolution
D. Increased motion
Answer: B. Because a grid absorbs some primary radiation along with scatter, greater
exposure is usually needed to maintain receptor exposure.
8. Which grid characteristic refers to the height of the lead strips compared with the
distance between them?
A. Grid frequency
B. Grid ratio
C. Grid density
D. Grid focal distance
Answer: B. Grid ratio is the height of the lead strips divided by the distance between them.
9. Which principle states that radiation intensity decreases as the square of the distance
from the source increases?
A. Reciprocity law
B. Inverse square law
C. 15% rule
D. Heel effect
Answer: B. The inverse square law describes how exposure intensity decreases with the
square of distance.
10. What is the primary function of the collimator?
A. Increase scatter radiation
B. Restrict the x-ray beam
C. Increase focal-spot size
D. Increase exposure time
, 3
Answer: B. Collimation limits the field size, reducing patient exposure and scatter radiation.
11. The anode in an x-ray tube is usually made of:
A. Copper
B. Lead
C. Tungsten
D. Aluminum
Answer: C. Tungsten's high atomic number and melting point make it ideal for x-ray
production.
12. What is the controlling factor for x-ray beam penetration?
A. mA
B. kVp
C. SID
D. OID
Answer: B. Kilovoltage peak controls the energy and penetrating power of the x-ray beam.
13. Increasing mAs results in:
A. Lower image brightness
B. Higher image brightness
C. Higher image density
D. No change
Answer: C. mAs determines the total number of x-rays produced, affecting image blackness
(density).
14. Which type of x-ray results from interaction of the projectile electron with a target
nucleus, also known as braking radiation?
A. Characteristic x-ray
B. Bremsstrahlung x-ray
C. Compton x-ray
D. Coherent x-ray
Answer: B. Bremsstrahlung x-rays are produced when electrons slow down near the nucleus.
15. 99% of the energy of electrons striking the target is converted into:
A. X-rays
B. Heat
C. Light
D. Sound
Answer: B. The vast majority of kinetic energy in the x-ray tube is converted to heat.
16. What is the function of the focusing cup?
A. Cools the anode
