Final answer:
The two types of target interactions that can produce diagnostic-range x-ray photons are braking radiation and characteristic radiation. These interactions create high-energy x-ray photons with short wavelengths, which are essential for detailed medical imaging.
Step-by-step explanation:
The two types of target interactions that can produce diagnostic-range x-ray photons are braking radiation (bremsstrahlung) and characteristic radiation. Braking radiation occurs when a high-speed electron is slowed or deflected by the nucleus of a target atom, losing energy in the form of an x-ray photon. In characteristic radiation, an electron collides with an inner-shell electron of the target atom, knocking it out and creating a vacancy. This vacancy is then filled by an electron from a higher energy level, releasing an x-ray photon with a specific energy related to the difference in energy levels, which is a characteristic of the atom.
These mechanisms are essential for creating the x-ray images used in medical diagnostics. Diagnostic-range x-ray photons have short wavelengths between 10-8 m to 10-12 m, which allows them to penetrate materials and create images with high detail. Understanding these interactions is key for improving x-ray imaging technologies and reducing exposure risks associated with ionizing radiation.