Exam-style question
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What is the effect of increasing the tube voltage in an X-ray tube on the produced X-ray spectrum?.
- A.It decreases the maximum photon energy.
- B.It increases the maximum photon energy.
- C.It has no effect on the spectrum.
- D.It only affects the intensity of the spectrum.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It increases the maximum photon energy.
Explanation
Why this works
Increasing the tube voltage in an X-ray tube raises the kinetic energy of the electrons, which in turn increases the maximum photon energy of the emitted X-rays. This results in a shift of the spectrum towards higher energies.
Common mistake
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