According to the inverse square law, changing the source-to-image distance (SID) affects which factors?

The correct choice regarding the effects of changing the source-to-image distance (SID) according to the inverse square law is that it influences beam intensity and patient dose.

The inverse square law states that the intensity of radiation (or any point source of energy) diminishes with the square of the distance from the source. This means that as the distance from the source increases, the intensity of the beam hitting the patient or receptor decreases. Conversely, as the distance decreases, the intensity increases.

In terms of patient dose, a greater SID results in a lower radiation dose to the patient because the beam intensity is weaker at a greater distance. This principle is crucial in radiography to minimize patient exposure while still achieving adequate image quality. Understanding this relationship is essential for optimizing imaging techniques and ensuring patient safety while achieving the necessary diagnostic outcomes.

The other choices pertain to factors that do not have a direct relationship with SID or are influenced by different aspects of radiation physics or imaging technique, making them less relevant in this context.