X-rays are commonly produced in X-ray tubesX-ray tubesA high voltage power source, for example 30 to 150 kilovolts (kV), called the tube voltage, is connected across cathode and anode to accelerate the electrons.https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › X-ray_tubeX-ray tube - Wikipedia by accelerating electrons through a potential difference (a voltage drop) and directing them onto a target material (i.e. tungsten). The incoming electrons release X-rays as they slowdown in the target (braking radiation or bremsstrahlung).
How are x-rays naturally produced?
X-rays and gamma rays can come from natural sources, such as radon gas, radioactive elements in the earth, and cosmic rays that hit the earth from outer space. But this type of radiation can also be man-made.
How are x-rays produced and detected?
In a Geiger-Müller tube, or Geiger counter, incoming X-ray photons ionize atoms in a gas-filled volume. An applied high voltage induces further ionizations from collisions between liberated electrons and neutral atoms, creating an avalanche of charged particles and a large electrical pulse that is easily detected.