Increasing the ________________ increases the speed of the electrons in the X-ray machine.

• A. Amperage
• B. Voltage
• C. Exposure time
• D. Film thickness

Answer: (B)

Increasing the voltage across the X-ray tube creates the accelerating field that pushes electrons from the cathode toward the anode. As this potential difference rises, electrons gain more kinetic energy (approximately KE = eV), so they travel faster when they reach the target. Amperage affects how many electrons are emitted (and thus the X-ray intensity), not their speed. Exposure time changes how long you produce X-rays, not how fast the electrons move. Film thickness doesn’t determine electron speed; it influences image formation and attenuation after the X-rays are produced.