Definition
bremsstrahlungs
noun
- electromagnetic radiation produced by the deceleration of charged particles, especially electrons, in matter or in an electromagnetic field
Usage: physics; from German, literally 'braking radiation'
Examples
- Bremsstrahlung radiation is produced when high-energy electrons are slowed down by the nuclei of atoms.
- X-rays can be generated through bremsstrahlung when electrons strike a metal target.
- The intensity of bremsstrahlung increases with the atomic number of the material.
- In particle accelerators, bremsstrahlung causes energy loss in electron beams.
- Bremsstrahlung is an important source of continuous spectrum radiation in X-ray tubes.