What interaction at the anode produces both heat and x-rays?

The interaction at the anode that produces both heat and x-rays is bremsstrahlung. This process occurs when high-speed electrons, typically generated in a vacuum tube, are decelerated upon striking the anode target. As these electrons are deflected by the nucleus of the target atoms, they lose energy, which is released in the form of x-ray photons. This interaction is significant because it not only generates x-rays used for diagnostic purposes in medical imaging but also results in the production of heat due to the energy transfer during the interaction.

In contrast, while the photoelectric effect and characteristic radiation can produce x-rays, they do not involve the same mechanism of energy loss through electron deceleration at the anode, and they are not the primary contributors to heat. Compton scattering involves the interaction of x-rays with matter and results in scattered x-rays and secondary radiation but does not occur at the anode itself in the context of x-ray production.