Anticathode

/ˌæntiˈkæθoʊd/ noun

Definition

In an X-ray tube, the target electrode (usually made of tungsten) where high-speed electrons strike to produce X-rays.

Etymology

From anti- (against) + cathode (the negative electrode). Named because it's the electrode opposite the cathode in an X-ray tube, struck by electrons from the cathode.

Kelly Says

X-ray machines work by shooting electrons at an anticathode at extreme speeds—when they smash into it, the collision creates the X-rays that doctors use to see inside your body, making this one of physics' most useful technologies!

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