In radiography, what type of interaction mostly occurs between X-rays and matter?

In the context of radiography, the interactions between X-rays and matter are critical for understanding how images are formed. Each type of interaction contributes to the attenuation of X-rays as they pass through different materials.

The photoelectric effect is the dominant interaction in radiography, particularly with high atomic number materials. In this process, an incident X-ray photon is completely absorbed by an atom, resulting in the ejection of an electron. This effect is significant in materials like bone or lead, where high atomic numbers result in a higher probability of absorption.

Compton scattering also plays a crucial role, especially in soft tissues and lower atomic number materials. In this interaction, an X-ray photon collides with an outer-shell electron, losing energy and changing direction while the electron is ejected. This process leads to a degree of scattering that is responsible for some of the visibility of the images.

Pair production is less common in typical radiographic scenarios because it requires high-energy photons, typically above 1.022 MeV, which are generally not encountered in standard X-ray imaging. However, it can occur when high-energy photons interact with the electric field of a nucleus, resulting in the creation of an electron and a positron.

Though pair production is not frequent in conventional