Final answer:
Quantum mottle is attributed to the random absorption of the x-ray beam by the image receptor and is related to the quality of the radiographic image. As x-ray energy increases, the Compton effect has a greater impact on attenuation, while low-energy x-rays yield better radiographic contrast.
Step-by-step explanation:
The phenomenon attributed to the random absorption of the x-ray beam by the image receptor is known as quantum mottle. Quantum mottle occurs when there is a variation in the number of x-ray photons being absorbed, which can create noise in the resulting image. This happens because the x-ray's energy affects how it is scattered or absorbed by the tissue or object it passes through. For instance, as the x-ray energy increases, the Compton effect becomes more significant, affecting the attenuation and image quality. Low-energy x-rays are more absorbed by denser materials, resulting in better radiographic contrast, whereas substances with a high atomic number like barium or iodine enhance contrast for clearer imaging of specific body structures.