- #1
Mazin Nasralla
- 13
- 0
Hello,
I have been studying XRays recently in a general science course. It's about A Level standard but I want to take my interest further.
Anyway to the point. I thought I understood the release of XRays when an electron is slowed as it ploughs into a tungsten anode in an X-Ray Tube. Wiki and my teacher explained that a Continuous X-Ray spectrum is generated according to the Conservation of Energy. Loss of Kinetic Energy = Photon Released with the maximum energy of the photon being linked to the Voltage of the XRay Tube.
That all seemed to make sense, but now I'm doing Electrostatics and I'm thinking back to the electron moving into the anode. I must have misunderstood after all.
I appreciate that the electron will be slowed by the interaction with matter, but we drew a diagram of an electron interacting with a positively charged nucleus. It was bent around it and my teacher said it was braking and therefore a photon was released to compensate for the loss in kinetic energy.
I must have misunderstood the process. If there is an interaction with the positively charged nucleus surely that would accelerate the electron...not slow it down. I'm thinking now of a spacecraft using a planet to sling-shot around it and pick up speed.
I'm thinking maybe the electrons slow down when they hit the anode because of their interaction with the electron clouds, but if that is what slows them down then surely they are doing work against an electric field and there is no need to spontaneously fire off an X-Ray photon? A bit like when a free-wheeling bike slows as it goes up a hill. It's kinetic energy is being converted into gravitational energy. If the electron is slowed by its interaction with matter, which I would think would be electrostatic interaction then I am confused. What is the nature of the interaction. If it's against a negatively charged electron cloud then surely there's no need for a photon to be released as the loss of kinetic energy = work done by the electron against the field and it may gain electric potential? If the interaction is with the nucleus then surely that's not a braking effect. Sorry as you can see I am confused.
I know that X-Ray production is very inefficient and for the most part heat is released so maybe there's several processes going on. Could someone help me out? Thanks!
I have been studying XRays recently in a general science course. It's about A Level standard but I want to take my interest further.
Anyway to the point. I thought I understood the release of XRays when an electron is slowed as it ploughs into a tungsten anode in an X-Ray Tube. Wiki and my teacher explained that a Continuous X-Ray spectrum is generated according to the Conservation of Energy. Loss of Kinetic Energy = Photon Released with the maximum energy of the photon being linked to the Voltage of the XRay Tube.
That all seemed to make sense, but now I'm doing Electrostatics and I'm thinking back to the electron moving into the anode. I must have misunderstood after all.
I appreciate that the electron will be slowed by the interaction with matter, but we drew a diagram of an electron interacting with a positively charged nucleus. It was bent around it and my teacher said it was braking and therefore a photon was released to compensate for the loss in kinetic energy.
I must have misunderstood the process. If there is an interaction with the positively charged nucleus surely that would accelerate the electron...not slow it down. I'm thinking now of a spacecraft using a planet to sling-shot around it and pick up speed.
I'm thinking maybe the electrons slow down when they hit the anode because of their interaction with the electron clouds, but if that is what slows them down then surely they are doing work against an electric field and there is no need to spontaneously fire off an X-Ray photon? A bit like when a free-wheeling bike slows as it goes up a hill. It's kinetic energy is being converted into gravitational energy. If the electron is slowed by its interaction with matter, which I would think would be electrostatic interaction then I am confused. What is the nature of the interaction. If it's against a negatively charged electron cloud then surely there's no need for a photon to be released as the loss of kinetic energy = work done by the electron against the field and it may gain electric potential? If the interaction is with the nucleus then surely that's not a braking effect. Sorry as you can see I am confused.
I know that X-Ray production is very inefficient and for the most part heat is released so maybe there's several processes going on. Could someone help me out? Thanks!