Final answer:
The radiation produced when an electron beam hits a target is known as X-ray radiation, comprising both braking radiation and characteristic X-rays. Both the continuous spectrum from the braking radiation and the specific frequencies from characteristic X-rays help identify the target metal.
Step-by-step explanation:
The radiation that is produced when a high-energy electron beam hits a target and is reflected is known as X-ray radiation. As the electrons collide with the target material, they undergo a sudden deceleration, which, according to classical electromagnetism, results in the emission of braking radiation or bremsstrahlung.
This type of radiation includes a continuous spectrum of frequencies, reflecting the various interactions between the electrons and the target atoms. Additionally, when an electron from the beam knocks an inner-shell electron out of a target atom, a vacancy is created that is filled by another electron dropping to a lower energy level, which emits an X-ray photon with a specific energy characteristic of the target material; these are the characteristic X-rays.
When a target is bombarded with high-energy electrons, changing the target material to one with a higher atomic number will alter the frequency of the characteristic X-rays produced, as the energy levels and therefore the transitions between them are unique to each element.
The graph of X-ray wavelengths, as produced in such interactions, shows a continuous curve of braking radiation with superimposed sharp peaks representing the characteristic X-ray frequencies specific to the particular target metal.