Answer to Question #207545 in Physics for Maddy

Question

A thousand projectile electrons, all with the same initial kinetic energy, are shot at a block of gold (Z = 79).  This causes the production of x-ray photons in the gold. Explain why the resultant x-ray photons would be of a wide range of energies rather than all photons being of the same energy. (4 marks)

Answer 1

The resultant x-ray photons would be of a wide range of energies rather than all photons being of the same energy because the electrons are very small compared to 79 protons with whom they interact. So, the x-ray photons vary in energy as a result of different types of collision (central/not central) and angle of collision/deflection.