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THE X-RAY SPECTRUM OF ATOMS

• X-rays are high energy photos (0.01 to 10 nm)
• When fast moving e interact with an atom, x rays are produced,
Properties of X-ray
which are emw which is,
– Unaffected by electric ang magnetic field • X-rays are em waves of very short wavelength
– Penetrate through opaque material (≈1 Å)
– Travel in a straight line.
• The speed of the X-rays in vacuum is equal to
• Faster the e, more penetrating is radiation
• More number of e, more intense will be the x rays.
the speed of light.
X-ray Spectrum:- • X-rays undergo reflection and refraction
according to laws of visible light.
• Continuous spectrum
(Bremsstrahlung S)

• Characteristics spectrum

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Typical X ray Spectrum Continuous Spectrum

The plot between the intensity and the wavelength of X-rays is

known as X-ray spectrum. This type of spectrum consists of radiation of all
It is a continuous curve superimposed with several sharp possible wavelengths within a range starting
peaks. with a minimum value (λMIN) called short
The x-ray spectrum has two parts: wavelength limit to a upper value which
Continuous spectrum (the Curve)
Characteristic spectrum (the Peaks)
depends upon the voltage across the tube.

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Origin of the continuous spectrum  Consider an electron accelerated through a

potential difference of ∆V (x-ray tube voltage) ,
 An accelerated electric charge emits electromagnetic radiation. hitting a target atom.
 The x-rays are the result of the slowing down of high-energy electrons  The electron’s initial kinetic energy is K = e ∆V.
as they strike the target.  The electron loses its kinetic energy by an amount
 It may take several interactions with the atoms of the target before the ∆K = hf, which appears in the form of x-ray
electron loses all its kinetic energy. photon energy (Bremsstrahlung).
 The amount of kinetic energy lost in any given interaction can vary from The amount of kinetic energy lost (∆K) can vary from
zero up to the entire kinetic energy of the electron. zero up to the entire kinetic energy (K) of the electron.
 Therefore, the wavelength of radiation from these interactions lies in a  Therefore, the wavelength of Bremsstrahlung radiation
continuous range from some minimum value up to infinity. lies in a continuous range from some minimum value up
 It is this general slowing down of the electrons that provides the to infinity.
continuous spectrum, which shows the cutoff of x-rays below a hc
e V  hfMAX 
minimum wavelength value (λMIN) that depends on the kinetic energy of
hc MIN
the incoming electrons.  MIN 
 X-ray radiation with its origin in the slowing down of electrons is called e V
bremsstrahlung, the German word for “braking radiation.”
λMIN depends only on ∆V
Duane and Hunt law 6

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Nuclear explanation of production of Characteristic X-rays

 In Bohr model of the atom, shells of electrons surround the nucleus of
the atom containing the protons and neutrons.
 The innermost shell, called the K- shell, is surrounded by the L and M -
shells.
 When the energy of the electrons accelerated toward the target
becomes high enough to dislodge K- shell electrons, electrons from the
L - and M - shells move in to take the place of those dislodged.
 Each of these electronic transitions produces an X-ray with a
wavelength that depends on the exact structure of the atom being When the energy of the electrons accelerated
bombarded. toward the target becomes high enough to
 A transition from the L - shell to dislodge K- shell electrons,
the K- shell produces a Kα X-ray,
while the transition from an M - shell electrons from the L - and M - shells move
to the K- shell produces a Kβ X-ray. in to take the place of those dislodged.
hc
hf   En  Em

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Characteristic X-ray spectrum If you wish to produce 10.0 nm X rays in the

 The peaks in the x-ray spectrum have wavelengths
characteristic of the target element in the x-ray tube laboratory, what is the minimum voltage you
and hence they form the characteristic x-ray spectrum.
 These characteristic X-rays have a much higher intensity must use in accelerating the electrons?
than those produced by the continuous spectra, with Kα X-
rays having higher intensity than Kβ X-rays.
 The important point here is that the wavelength of these
characteristic X-rays is different for each target atom in
the periodic table (of course only those elements with
higher atomic number have L- and M - shell electrons that
can undergo transitions to produce X-rays)..

What is the minimum voltage applied to an X

ray tube to produce X-ray of wavelength 1
Angstrom?

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In X-ray production, electrons are accelerated

through a high voltage ΔV and then decelerated
by striking a target. Show that the shortest
wavelength of an x-ray that can be produced is
1240 𝑛𝑚. 𝑉
𝜆 =
Δ𝑉

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Moseley’s relation Bohr theory and the Moseley plot:

Moseley’s observation on the characteristic K x-rays
shows a relation between the frequency (f) of the K According to Bohr’s formula:
x-rays and the atomic number (Z) of the target element The frequency of radiation corresponding to a transition
in the x-ray tube: in a one-electron atom between any two atomic levels
differing in energy by ΔE
f  C Z  1
C is a constant. E m Z 2e 4  1 1 
Importance of Moseley’s Law: f   2 3 
 2  2 
According to this law, it is the h 8  oh  n f ni 
atomic number and not atomic
weight of an element which
determines its characteristic In a many-electron atom, for a K transition, the effective
properties, both physical and nuclear charge felt by an L-electron can be thought of as
chemical. Therefore atoms must be equal to +(Z–b)e instead of +Ze,
arranged in the periodic table where b is the screening constant due to the
according to their atomic numbers
and not according to their atomic
screening effect of the K-electron.
weights.

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THE X-RAY SPECTRUM OF ATOMS

Bohr theory and the Moseley plot: A K x-ray results due to the transition of the electron
from L-shell to K-shell. A K x-ray results due to the
 Frequency of the K x-ray is transition of the electron from M-shell to K-shell.
m Z  b e 4  1 When the vacancy arises in the L-shell, an L-series (L,
2
1 
f   2  2  L, L) of x-rays results.
8  oh
2 3
 1 1 2 
 3 m e4  2
and f    Z  b 
2 3 
 32  oh  Q: Calculate the cutoff wavelength for the continuous
or f  C Z  1 sin ce b  1 spectrum of x-rays emitted when 35-keV electrons fall
on a molybdenum target.

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THE X-RAY SPECTRUM OF ATOMS

HRK-Exercise 48.1: Show that the short-wavelength

cutoff in the continuous x-ray spectrum is given by
1240 pm
 MIN 
V
where ΔV is the applied potential difference in
kilovolts.
HRK-Exercise 48.5: Electrons bombard a
molybdenum target, producing both continuous and
characteristic x-rays. If the accelerating potential
applied to the x-ray tube is 50.0 kV, what values of
(a) λMIN (b) λKβ (c) λK result ? The energies of the
K-shell and L-shell in the molybdenum atom are –20.0
keV and –2.6 keV, respectively.
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THE X-RAY SPECTRUM OF ATOMS HRK-Exercise 48.12: The binding energies of K-shell
HRK-Exercise 48.9: X-rays are produced in an x-ray and L-shell electrons in copper are 8.979 keV and
0.951 keV, respectively. If a K x-ray from copper is
tube by a target potential of 50.0 keV. If an electron
incident on a sodium chloride crystal and gives a first-
makes three collisions in the target before coming to order Bragg reflection at 15.9 when reflected from
rest and loses one-half of its remaining kinetic energy the alternating planes of the sodium atoms, what is
on each of the first two collisions, determine the the spacing between these planes ?
wavelengths of the resulting photons. Neglect the
recoil of the heavy target atoms.

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X-RAYS AND THE NUMBERING OF THE ELEMENTS

HRK-Sample Problem 48-3: A cobalt target is

bombarded with electrons, and the wavelengths of its
Q. Which element has a Kα x- ray line whose characteristic x-ray spectrum are measured. A second,
fainter characteristic spectrum is also found, due to an
wavelength is 0.18 nm? (R=1.097*10^7m-1)
impurity in the target. The wavelengths of the K
lines are 178.9 pm (cobalt) and 143.5 pm (impurity).
What is the impurity ?

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1. Explain the continuous x-ray spectrum with a schematic plot of the

spectrum. [2]

2. Obtain an expression for the cutoff wavelength in the continuous x-ray

spectrum. [4]

3. Explain the characteristic x-ray spectrum with a schematic plot of the

spectrum. [2]

4. Explain the origin of characteristic x-ray spectrum with a sketch of x-ray

energy level diagram. [3]

5. Write Moseley’s relation for the frequency of characteristic x-rays. Sketch

schematically the Moseley’s plot of characteristic x-rays. What is the
importance of Moseley’s law

6. Obtain Moseley’s relation for characteristic x-ray frequency from Bohr

theory. [4]

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