The X-Ray Spectrum JavaScript Model explores the factors that affect the spectrum produced in a diagnostic X-ray imaging unit. The effects of varying the high voltage (kVp), added filtration, and ripple in the high voltage supply to the X-ray tube are included in the simulation. The physical mechanisms by which X-rays are produced are Bremsstrahlung (in which collisions of the cathode electrons convert some of their energy into X-ray photons) and characteristic X-rays (in which the cathode electrons kick an inner shell electron out of an atom, and an X-ray photon is release when one of the atom's outer shell electron transitions to the inner shell). Changing the accelerating voltage of the cathode electrons (i.e. changing kVp) affects both mechanisms of X-ray production. Adding filtration to the X-ray beam reduces its intensity, but does not reduce all energy X-rays equally.

The X-Ray Spectrum JavaScript Model was developed using the Easy Java Simulations (EjsS) version 5.  It is distributed as a ready-to-run html page and requires only a browser with JavaScript support.