Which statement best describes x-rays?

Which statement best describes x-rays?

• A. Cause biological and chemical changes.
• B. Are electrically negative.
• C. Are focused by the collimator.
• D. Travel faster than 186,282 miles per second.

Answer: (A)

X-rays are a form of ionizing electromagnetic radiation. Their high-energy photons have enough energy to eject electrons from atoms in matter, creating ionization that leads to chemical changes and potential biological effects. That ionizing property is why exposure must be carefully controlled and shielding used during imaging. The other statements don’t fit: x-rays don’t carry an electric charge, so they aren’t electrically negative; a collimator shapes and limits the beam rather than focusing it; and although they travel at the speed of light in vacuum, they are not faster than that.

X-rays are a form of ionizing electromagnetic radiation. Their high-energy photons have enough energy to eject electrons from atoms in matter, creating ionization that leads to chemical changes and potential biological effects. That ionizing property is why exposure must be carefully controlled and shielding used during imaging. The other statements don’t fit: x-rays don’t carry an electric charge, so they aren’t electrically negative; a collimator shapes and limits the beam rather than focusing it; and although they travel at the speed of light in vacuum, they are not faster than that.