Which interaction describes radiation produced by the rapid deceleration of an electron?

Bremsstrahlung refers to the radiation that is produced when a charged particle, such as an electron, is rapidly decelerated as it passes near the nucleus of an atom. This interaction occurs because the electron is deflected by the electric field of the nucleus, causing it to lose energy. That energy is then emitted in the form of photons, which are the Bremsstrahlung radiation.

This process is significant in radiographic testing because it contributes to the production of X-rays in X-ray tubes, where high-speed electrons are decelerated upon hitting the target material (usually tungsten). The efficiency and characteristics of Bremsstrahlung radiation are important for generating high-quality radiographic images.

The other options describe different interactions of radiation:

• Pair production involves the conversion of a photon into an electron-positron pair when it passes near a nucleus, which is not related to the deceleration of electrons.

• The Compton effect involves the scattering of X-ray or gamma-ray photons by electrons, resulting in a loss of energy from the photon without the rapid deceleration of the electron.

• The photoelectric effect describes the absorption of a photon by an electron, which is then ejected from an atom, rather than the deceleration of the electron itself