If the source-to-image distance (SID) is increased from 40 inches to 60 inches while keeping exposure factors the same, what will happen to receptor exposure?

When the source-to-image distance (SID) is increased from 40 inches to 60 inches while maintaining the same exposure factors, the receptor exposure will decrease. This is because receptor exposure is inversely related to SID according to the inverse square law. The inverse square law states that the intensity of radiation diminishes with the square of the distance from the source.

As the SID increases, the x-ray beam spreads over a greater area by the time it reaches the image receptor, which results in reduced radiation intensity per unit area at the receptor. Therefore, despite using the same exposure settings, the increased distance leads to less radiation hitting the receptor, yielding a lower receptor exposure.

Retaining consistent exposure factors at a greater SID without adjusting for this increase leads to a decreased amount of radiation reaching the receptor, thereby causing a reduction in overall receptor exposure.