Radiation Physics Flashcards
matter
anything that occupies space and has mass
atom
fundamental unit of matter
nucleus
dense inner core composed of protons and neutrons
electrons
negatively charged particles
travel around nucleus in paths known as orbits
binding energy
attraction of positive protons to negative electrons
electrons are maintained in their orbits
how are molecules formed
transfer of electrons
sharing of electrons
ionization
production of ions
ions
atoms that gain or lose an electron
electrically unbalanced
gains = negative charge
loses = positive charge
non-ionizing radiation
does not have enough energy to create ions (microwaves, visible light)
ionizing radiation
creates positive and negative ions as it travels and interacts with atom
radiation that produces ions (x-rays, gamma rays)
electromagnetic radiation
moves through space as a particle and a wave
EM spectrum:
-travel at speed of light
-have no electrical charge
-have no mass or weight
-pass through space as particles in wavelike motion
electromagnetic waves determine strength of radiation by:
velocity: speed of wave
wavelength: distance between crest of one wave and crest of the next
frequency: # of wavelengths that pass a point in a certain time
frequency is ______ related to wavelength
inversely
wavelength determines
energy and penetrating power of the radiation
long wavelength =
low frequency
low energy
less penetrating x-ray
short wavelength =
high frequency
high energy
more penetrating x-ray
metal housing
surrounds x-ray tube and transformers
protects tube and grounds high-voltage components
insulating oil
surrounds x-ray tube and transformers
prevents overheating
tubehead seal
permits exit of x-rays from tubehead
seals the oil
filters x-ray beam
x-ray tube
heart of generating system
transformer
alters voltage of incoming electricity
aluminum discs
filters out non-ionizing, longer wavelength x-rays
lead collimator
restricts size of x-ray beam
position-indicating device
aims and shapes the x-ray beam
