Radiation Physics-Unit 11 vocab

Front

Compton/recoil electron

Back

The dislodged electron resulting from Compton scattering.

Front

Attenuation

Back

The reduction in the number of x-ray photons in the beam, and subsequent loss of energy, as the beam passes through matter.

Front

Pair production

Back

An interaction characterized by the conversion of the energy of an x-ray photon into matter in the form of two electrons.

Front

Coherent scatter

Back

Interaction between a very low-energy x-ray photon and matter, producing a secondary photon with the same energy as the incident photon.

Front

Photoelectric absorption

Back

An x-ray photon with slightly greater energy than tissue binding energy, ejects an inner shell electron from a tissue atom.

Front

Photoelectron

Back

An electron that is emitted from a material as a result of the photoelectric effect.

Front

Scattering

Back

The process by which x-ray photons are deflected from their original path as they interact with matter.

Front

Backscatter

Back

The scattering of x-ray photons back towards the source after interacting with matter.

Front

Secondary radiation

Back

Radiation that is emitted as a result of the interaction of primary radiation with matter.

Front

Photodisintegration

Back

An interaction where an x-ray photon is absorbed by a nucleus, resulting in the emission of particles.