Two different electron beams are incident on two different targets and both produce x rays.The cutoff wavelength for target 1 is shorter than the cutoff wavelength for target 2.We can conclude that:
A)target 2 has a higher atomic number than target 1
B)target 2 has a lower atomic number than target 1
C)the electrons in beam 1 have greater kinetic energy than those in beam 2
D)the electrons in beam 1 have less kinetic energy than those in beam 2
E)target 1 is thicker than target 2

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cutoff wavelength of X-rays is inversely related to the maximum energy of the incident electrons. A shorter cutoff wavelength for target 1 indicates that the electrons in beam 1 have greater kinetic energy than those in beam 2, as higher energy electrons can produce X-rays with shorter wavelengths.

Two Different Electron Beams Are Incident on Two Different Targets