Which effect is linked with the interaction of X-rays with matter, characterized by ionization and absorption?

Which effect is linked with the interaction of X-rays with matter, characterized by ionization and absorption?

• A. Compton effect
• B. Photoelectric effect
• C. Classical scatter
• D. Pair production

Answer: (B)

The photoelectric effect is the phenomenon linked with the interaction of X-rays with matter that is characterized by ionization and absorption. When X-ray photons strike an atom, they can transfer their energy to an inner-shell electron. If the energy of the photon is sufficient to overcome the binding energy of the electron to its atom, the electron is ejected from the atom, resulting in ionization. The energy that exceeds the binding energy is converted into kinetic energy of the ejected electron. This effect plays a significant role in medical imaging, particularly in bone densitometry, because the amount of energy absorbed by the tissues depends on their atomic number and density. This leads to the differential absorption of X-rays, which aids in the assessment of bone density. The other interactions, while related to X-ray interaction with matter, do not primarily result in both ionization and absorption in the same manner as the photoelectric effect. For example, the Compton effect involves the scattering of X-ray photons with a loss of energy but does not involve absorption in the way the photoelectric effect does. Classical scatter involves low-energy photons and primarily leads to scattering without ionization. Pair production occurs at much higher energy levels and involves the creation of a matter-antimatter pair rather

The photoelectric effect is the phenomenon linked with the interaction of X-rays with matter that is characterized by ionization and absorption. When X-ray photons strike an atom, they can transfer their energy to an inner-shell electron. If the energy of the photon is sufficient to overcome the binding energy of the electron to its atom, the electron is ejected from the atom, resulting in ionization. The energy that exceeds the binding energy is converted into kinetic energy of the ejected electron.

This effect plays a significant role in medical imaging, particularly in bone densitometry, because the amount of energy absorbed by the tissues depends on their atomic number and density. This leads to the differential absorption of X-rays, which aids in the assessment of bone density.

The other interactions, while related to X-ray interaction with matter, do not primarily result in both ionization and absorption in the same manner as the photoelectric effect. For example, the Compton effect involves the scattering of X-ray photons with a loss of energy but does not involve absorption in the way the photoelectric effect does. Classical scatter involves low-energy photons and primarily leads to scattering without ionization. Pair production occurs at much higher energy levels and involves the creation of a matter-antimatter pair rather