Bremsstrahlung radiation
In an X-ray tube the electrons emitted from the cathode are accelerated towards the metal target anode by an accelerating voltage of typically 50 kV.
The high energy electrons interact with the atoms in the metal target.
Sometimes the electron comes very close to a nucleus in the target and is deviated by the electromagnetic interaction.
The electrons move in this direction because of the strong electrical field between the negatively charged cathode & the positively charged anode.
The X- ray tube is evacuated completely as possible to fascilitate movement of these high speed electrons
Introduction
Generation, emission & absorption of radiation occurs at the subatomic level.
Nucleus- two particles- protons & neutrons [nucleons].
Particles that orbit the nucleus are the electrons.
Interest to diagnostic radiology- electrons, protons & neutrons.
number of protons- nucleus of atom- atomic number [Z].
total number of protons & neutrons – nucleus of an atom- mass number [A].