Final answer:
The developer in an automatic film processing system chemically alters the film's exposure to radiation to create a visible image. The process's efficiency depends on the radiation type and the exposure level, sometimes requiring additional devices for accurate interpretation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main purpose of the developer in an automatic film processing system is to induce the chemical change in the film after it has been exposed to radiation. This process of development is crucial as it converts the latent image created by the exposure to a visible image. However, it's important to note that the development process is not entirely efficient, with not every incident of radiation causing a chemical change. These changes in the film emulsion are affected by the amount of film darkening which relates to the extent of exposure.
Yet, the degree of darkening also varies with the type of radiation used. This means that additional devices, such as absorbers, may be required to correctly interpret and adjust for various energies, charges, or to identify different particles when analyzing the film.