The transducer contains

The transducer contains

• A. Specialized piezoelectric crystal
• B. Water and gel
• C. Copper coil
• D. Silicon diode array

Answer: (C)

The key idea is that the active element inside a diagnostic ultrasound transducer is a piezoelectric crystal. This specialized material converts electrical energy into mechanical vibrations at ultrasonic frequencies (and does the reverse when echoes return). That piezoelectric effect is what actually generates and detects the ultrasound waves. Water and gel aren’t internal parts of the transducer; they’re coupling media applied between the transducer and the skin to ensure sound waves pass efficiently into the body. A copper coil would be associated with magnetostrictive-type devices, not the common piezoelectric transducers used in most ultrasound imaging today. A silicon diode array isn’t the transducer element either, since it doesn’t perform the conversion between electrical energy and sound in this context.

The key idea is that the active element inside a diagnostic ultrasound transducer is a piezoelectric crystal. This specialized material converts electrical energy into mechanical vibrations at ultrasonic frequencies (and does the reverse when echoes return). That piezoelectric effect is what actually generates and detects the ultrasound waves.

Water and gel aren’t internal parts of the transducer; they’re coupling media applied between the transducer and the skin to ensure sound waves pass efficiently into the body. A copper coil would be associated with magnetostrictive-type devices, not the common piezoelectric transducers used in most ultrasound imaging today. A silicon diode array isn’t the transducer element either, since it doesn’t perform the conversion between electrical energy and sound in this context.