X-rays remove electrons from atoms by a process called which of the following?

X-rays remove electrons from atoms by a process called which of the following?

• A. Electrification
• B. Exposure
• C. Ionization
• D. Radicalizing

Answer: (C)

Ionization is the process at play. X-ray photons carry enough energy to overcome the binding of electrons in atoms, so when a photon transfers that energy to an electron, the electron is ejected and an ion is formed. In diagnostic radiography, this happens mainly through interactions like the photoelectric effect and Compton scattering, both of which result in electrons being removed from atoms. The other terms don’t describe this atomic event: exposure refers to how much radiation is delivered, electrification is not the technical term here, and radicalizing would imply creating radicals rather than the actual removal of electrons.

Ionization is the process at play. X-ray photons carry enough energy to overcome the binding of electrons in atoms, so when a photon transfers that energy to an electron, the electron is ejected and an ion is formed. In diagnostic radiography, this happens mainly through interactions like the photoelectric effect and Compton scattering, both of which result in electrons being removed from atoms. The other terms don’t describe this atomic event: exposure refers to how much radiation is delivered, electrification is not the technical term here, and radicalizing would imply creating radicals rather than the actual removal of electrons.