A 15% increase in which factor is known to double the exposure to the image receptor?

A 15% increase in kilovoltage peak (kVp) is known to significantly enhance the exposure to the image receptor, enough to double it. The kVp setting affects the penetration power of the x-rays produced; as kVp increases, the energy of the x-rays increases, leading to a greater number of x-rays reaching the image receptor.

This relationship is fundamental in radiography because higher energy x-rays have a higher probability of getting through the patient and reaching the receptor, which ultimately results in increased image density. Therefore, a 15% increase in kVp not only improves the quality of the image by enhancing contrast but also drastically increases the exposure, thus doubling it under ideal circumstances.

In contrast, increases in milliamperes (mA) or exposure time lead to a proportional increase in exposure but do not have the same exponential impact as kVp on image quality and receptor exposure. Distance from the source follows the inverse square law, which indicates that as distance increases, exposure decreases, further distinguishing it from the effect of kVp.