When radiation interacts with radiographic film in a film badge, what happens to the film after development?

When radiation interacts with radiographic film in a film badge, the film undergoes a chemical change based on the amount of radiation exposure it receives. After the film is developed, it darkens in proportion to the amount of radiation it was exposed to. This darkening occurs because the radiation exposes the silver halide crystals in the film, which, upon development, lead to a greater density of silver particles in the areas where the exposure was higher.

Thus, the darker areas on the developed film indicate higher radiation exposure, allowing for a quantifiable assessment of the dose received. This process is fundamental to the function of film badges in monitoring radiation exposure for personnel working in medical and nuclear settings, as it provides a direct visual record of exposure levels.

In contrast, the other answer choices suggest mechanisms that do not accurately reflect the behavior of film in response to radiation. For example, film does not lighten as a result of exposure, nor does it show artifacts proportional to exposure. Additionally, it does not require charging for interpretation, as the readings are obtained directly from the developed film.