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Chapter 6: Problem 27

How are the images made by an X-ray telescope different from those made by a medical X-ray machine?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The images of an X-ray telescope are different from those of a medical X-ray machine in that they display objects in space in various colors corresponding to different X-ray energies, while medical X-ray images show the internal structure of the human body in shades of black and white, with denser tissues appearing white due to their absorption of more X-ray.

Step by step solution

01

Understanding X-ray Telescope

An X-ray telescope is designed to observe remote objects, like stars and galaxies. It collects X-rays from these sources and focuses them onto a detector. Unlike optical telescopes, X-ray telescopes use a set of nested shells with a special coating to reflect and focus the X-rays, since X-rays cannot be focused using conventional lenses. Additionally, the images made by an X-Ray telescope shows different energy levels in different colors.
02

Understanding Medical X-ray Machine

A medical X-ray machine is used to visualize the internal structures of a patient’s body. The device sends a beam of X-rays through the body onto a detector. The detector records the pattern of X-rays that passes through, creating an image based on the different densities of tissues and bones in the path of the beam. The images are usually presented in varying shades of black and white.
03

Comparing the Images

While both devices make use of X-rays, the images they produce differ significantly. Images from an x-ray telescope show different astrophysical phenomena in various colors corresponding to the energy levels of x-rays. On the other hand, images produced by a medical x-ray machine show internal structures of a human body in shades of black and white, where denser body parts appear white as they absorb more x-rays.

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Most popular questions from this chapter

What is active optics? What is adaptive optics? Why are they useful? Would either of these be a good feature to include on a telescope to be placed in orbit?

Explain some of the disadvantages of refracting telescopes compared to reflecting telescopes.

No major observatory has a Newtonian reflector as its primary instrument, whereas Newtonian reflectors are extremely popular among amateur astronomers. Explain why this is so.

What is a spectrograph? Why do many astronomers regard it as the most important device that can be attached to a telescope?

(a) Compare the light-gathering power of the Keck I 10.0-m telescope with that of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST), which has a \(2.4-\mathrm{m}\) objective mirror. (b) What advantages does Keck I have over HST? What advantages does HST have over Keck I?
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