Physics A-Level
Characteristic X-rays
What Characteristic X-rays means in Physics A-Level, as defined for AQA.
Definition of Characteristic X-rays
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Reference: AQA
Arise when an accelerated electron removes an inner-shell electron and an outer-shell electron drops into the vacancy, emitting a photon of energy equal to the shell energy difference.
Topics that use Characteristic X-rays
- The physics of diagnostic X-rays(A-level only) (AQA A-Level)
Related terms
- Bremsstrahlung
- Continuous spectrum
- Control of beam intensity and photon energy
- Image quality: sharpness and contrast
- Radiation protection and patient dose
- Thermal management in X-ray tubes
- Maximum photon energy
Using Characteristic X-rays in the exam
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