What happens when an electron collides head-on with the nucleus of a target atom?

When an electron collides head-on with the nucleus of a target atom, it undergoes a process that can lead to significant energy transfer. When the electron is close to the nucleus, it experiences a strong electrostatic attraction because it is negatively charged while the nucleus is positively charged. This interaction can result in the electron losing a substantial amount of its kinetic energy.

The energy lost by the electron during this collision can be converted into electromagnetic radiation. Specifically, this energy transfer can produce X-ray photons. For the case where the electron transfers all of its initial kinetic energy, it would generate a photon with a very high energy corresponding to that kinetic energy, typically classified in the X-ray spectrum.

The nature of the emitted photon is determined by the energy of the incoming electron. If the incoming kinetic energy is sufficient, it can also result in the ionization of the atom or the emission of more energetic photons. However, the ideal case addressed refers to the perfect conversion of kinetic energy directly to an X-ray photon.

In contrast, other options do not accurately capture the outcome of the collision. For instance, while ionization can occur as a result of such collisions, it does not necessarily represent the overall behavior of the electron during the perfect head-on collision where one