Question

An accelerated electron would produce
A. \[\gamma \]-rays
B. \[\beta \]- rays
C. \[\alpha \]-rays
D. Electromagnetic rays

Answer 1

Hint: An electron is a negatively charged particle which when stationary produces an electric field, while a moving charged particle produces a magnetic field. Gamma, alpha and beta rays are produced when nuclei of heavier atoms become unstable and release various particles including electrons.

Complete step by step answer:
An electron carries an electric charge of e along with it. A charged particle produces an electric field around itself. If a positively charged particle is placed in this field, then the particle accelerates in the direction of the field, while a negatively charged particle placed in the field accelerates in an opposite direction of the field.
A moving charged particle will produce a magnetic field. Hence one can say that magnetic fields are produced because of the production of current. Magnetic field exerts force on other moving charges around it. The force on these charges due to the magnetic field is always perpendicular to the direction of their velocities and therefore it only changes the direction of the velocity.
An electron moving with a changing velocity that is, when it is accelerating uniformly, however, generates a changing magnetic field, produces an electric field which is changing, and this produces a changing magnetic field. An accelerating charged particle hence produces electromagnetic waves. Electromagnetic waves are electric and magnetic fields traveling with the speed of light c. Electromagnetic waves can propagate through free space.
\[\gamma \]-rays are produced because of the radioactive decay of nuclei of an atom, while \[\beta \]-rays are produced because of the transformation of a neutron into a proton through the emission of an electron, or the reverse process, that is the transformation of a proton into a neutron through the emission of a positron. \[\alpha \]- rays are produced by the emission of helium nuclei (two protons and two neutrons) due to instability in an atom of heavy atomic weight.

So, the correct answer is “Option D”.

Note:
Here, all the rays, that is alpha, beta and gamma are electromagnetic waves but the reason for them being emitted or being electromagnetic is not necessarily due to electron, it can also be due to positron or some other particle, hence electromagnetic waves is correct and more general answer.