Which type of radiation is characterized by characteristic radiation?

Characteristic radiation is a type of X-ray radiation that occurs when an inner-shell electron is ejected from an atom, and an electron from a higher energy level drops down to fill the vacancy. This transition releases energy in the form of X-rays with specific energy levels characteristic of the elements involved.

The process is critical in the context of X-ray production, particularly in mammography, because it enables the generation of images based on the absorption of different energies by various tissues in the breast. The emitted X-rays are what create the detailed images used for diagnosing breast conditions.

The other types of radiation, such as alpha and beta radiation, are related to the decay processes in radioactive materials and do not involve the ejection of electrons from inner shells or the associated emission of characteristic X-rays. Gamma radiation is high-energy electromagnetic radiation emitted from a nucleus but does not involve the electron transitions that give rise to characteristic X-rays in the way described. Thus, X-ray radiation stands out as the context in which characteristic radiation is specifically defined and utilized.