ASNT Industrial Radiography Radiation Safety Practice Test

High-speed electrons striking a target primarily produce what?

1. X-rays

2. Heat

3. Gamma Rays

4. Ultrasound

The correct answer is: Heat

When high-speed electrons strike a target, the primary product of this interaction is X-rays. This occurs due to a process known as Bremsstrahlung radiation, where the electrons are decelerated as they interact with the atomic nuclei of the target material. As these high-velocity electrons lose energy, this energy is emitted in the form of X-rays. Heat is also generated as a result of the interactions, but it is not the primary product of the electron strike. The energy lost by the electrons is predominantly converted to X-ray photons, which are then utilized in radiographic imaging and other applications in industrial radiography. Other types of radiation like gamma rays are produced through different nuclear processes, not primarily from the interaction of high-speed electrons with a target. Ultrasound, on the other hand, is a sound wave and is unrelated to the behavior of electrons or the types of radiation produced in this context. Thus, the interaction between high-speed electrons and the target results mainly in the generation of X-rays, making this the correct choice.