Question

What causes the enormous heat that builds up in the CT tube?

1) Friction between the electrons and the target material
2) Friction between the protons and the target material
3) Friction between the neutrons and the target material
4) Friction between the photons and the target material

Answer 1

The enormous heat in the CT tube is caused by friction between the electrons and the target material.

Step-by-step explanation:

The enormous heat that builds up in the CT tube is caused by friction between the electrons and the target material. In a CT tube, electrons ejected from a hot filament in a vacuum tube are accelerated through a high voltage and strike the anode. When the electrons strike the anode, they convert their kinetic energy to a variety of forms, including thermal energy. The accelerated electrons also produce photons through the process of accelerated charge radiating EM waves. Some of these x-ray photons obtain the kinetic energy of the electrons.