Which type of radiation interaction primarily results in the conversion of x-rays into secondary radiation?

The choice of Compton scattering as the correct answer is based on the understanding of how x-rays interact with matter. In Compton scattering, x-ray photons collide with loosely bound outer-shell electrons of atoms. During this interaction, the x-ray photon transfers a portion of its energy to the electron, which is then ejected from the atom. The photon loses energy and changes direction, resulting in what is known as secondary radiation.

This process not only leads to the production of scattered x-rays, which have lower energy than the original photon, but it can also generate characteristic radiation when the electron vacancy created by the ejected electron is filled by an electron from a higher energy level. The emitted x-ray in this scenario is termed secondary radiation.

In contrast, the photoelectric effect primarily results in the complete absorption of the incoming x-ray photon rather than conversion into secondary radiation. Pair production requires very high-energy photons and leads to the direct creation of particle-antiparticle pairs, which does not involve secondary x-ray emission. Rayleigh scattering is an elastic scattering process that does not transfer energy from the photon to the atom, and therefore does not create secondary radiation either.

Compton scattering thus stands out as the predominant interaction mechanism responsible for the conversion of x-rays