The high-voltage section of the x-ray circuit makes use of what type of transformer?

The high-voltage section of the x-ray circuit makes use of what type of transformer?

• A. Step-up
• B. Autotransformer
• C. Step-down
• D. Falling load

Answer: (A)

The essential idea is that the x-ray tube needs a very high voltage to accelerate electrons across the tube gap. The power coming into the room is relatively low voltage, so the high-voltage section uses a step-up transformer to raise that voltage into the kilovolt range. A step-up transformer has more turns on the secondary than on the primary, so it increases voltage while the current available to the tube is reduced to keep the power roughly balanced. The autotransformer you may hear about is involved in selecting or regulating the kilovoltage, but the device that directly delivers the high voltage to the tube is the step-up transformer. A step-down transformer would do the opposite, and “falling load” isn’t a transformer type.

The essential idea is that the x-ray tube needs a very high voltage to accelerate electrons across the tube gap. The power coming into the room is relatively low voltage, so the high-voltage section uses a step-up transformer to raise that voltage into the kilovolt range. A step-up transformer has more turns on the secondary than on the primary, so it increases voltage while the current available to the tube is reduced to keep the power roughly balanced. The autotransformer you may hear about is involved in selecting or regulating the kilovoltage, but the device that directly delivers the high voltage to the tube is the step-up transformer. A step-down transformer would do the opposite, and “falling load” isn’t a transformer type.