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QPages 393-394: Q11: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 X-Rays Pages 393-394: Q11 Solution: 50% of the X-rays coming from a Coolidge tube are able to pass…

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often treat the foil's transmission as a fixed property, forgetting that the linear attenuation coefficient μ varies with photon energy. Raising the tube voltage shifts the X‑ray spectrum to higher energies, reducing μ and therefore increasing the fraction that penetrates the same aluminium foil.

50% of the X-rays coming from a Coolidge tube are able to pass through a 0.1 mm thick aluminium foil. If the potential difference between the target and the filament is increased, the fraction of the X-rays passing through the same foil will be

Multiple Choice Options

  • A 0%
  • B < 50%
  • C 50%
  • D > 50%

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** (d) > 50%. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** Increasing the potential difference increases the energy of X-rays, making them more penetrating. So more than 50% will pass through the same foil.

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