Glossary of terms used on this site
B
- Bremsstrahlung (Braking Radiation)
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The term "bremsstrahlung" is retained from the original German term to describe the radiation which is emitted when electrons are decelerated or "braked" when they are fired at a metal target. Accelerated charges give off electromagnetic radiation, and when the energy of the bombarding electrons is high enough, that radiation is in the x-ray region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Bremsstrahlung is the continuum component of the X-ray spectrum* and is characterized by a continuous distribution of radiation which becomes more intense and shifts toward higher frequencies when the energy of the bombarding electrons is increased. The highest energy in the spectrum, that means the shortest wave length, corresponds to the maximum acceleration potential of the electrons. The higher the tube voltage, the higher the energy of the photons, the higher their capability of passing through material.