What becomes of the photoelectron ejected during the photoelectric effect?

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In the photoelectric effect, the photon’s energy is used to liberate an electron from an atom. The ejected photoelectron carries away the excess energy as kinetic energy and then travels only a short distance in the surrounding tissue. As it moves, it undergoes collisions with other atoms, producing further ionizations and excitations. All of this energy is deposited in the tissue, mainly as heat (dose). The photoelectron does not travel to the image receptor, does not stay at the ejection site without interaction, and does not convert into photons.