1. What’s an X-Ray
Ionization

2. Atoms have no electrical charge because they maintain an equal amount of protons and electrons
If an atom looses an electron, it gains a charge and becomes an ion and with its lost electron it is called an Ion pair
This is ionization
Back to Atoms

3. Ion pair

4. Target Atom X-Ray Photon Ionization Process
X-ray Production - characteristic x-rays
X-Ray Photon
Target Atom

5. What are they?? Are basically the same thing as visible light rays.
Both are wavelike forms of electromagnetic energy carried by particles called photons.
The only difference
Energy level of the individual photons
Or wavelengths ( we will discuss this next week)
What are they??

6. Our eyes are sensitive to the particular wavelength of visible light.
They are not sensitive to :
Shorter wavelengths of higher energy x-rays
Longer wavelength of lower energy radio waves
More ????

7. More and more questions
Visible light photons and x-ray photons are produced by the movement of electrons in atoms.
Electrons occupy different energy levels or orbitals around an atom’s nucleus.
When an electron drops to a lower orbital, it needs to release some energy
It releases extra energy in the form of a photon.
The energy level of the photon depends on how far the electron dropped between orbitals
More and more questions

8. When a photon collides with another atom, the atom may absorb the photon’s energy by boosting an electron to a higher level.
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9. The atoms that make up your body tissue absorb visible light photons very well.
Radio waves don’t have enough energy to move electrons so they pass through most stuff
X-ray photons also pass through most things, but for the opposite reason.
They have too much energy
But they can knock an electron away from an atom altogether.
Causing an electron to separate from the atom and send it flying through space.
Your body tissue is made of smaller atoms that do not absorb x-ray photons very well
Your Bones are made of larger atoms and absorb x-ray photons.
You and photons