What are the main components of manual processing of x-rays?

The main components of manual processing of x-rays encompass the developer and fixer. The developer is responsible for converting the latent image on the film into a visible image by reducing silver halide crystals to metallic silver, which forms the dark areas of the image. This step is crucial as it allows the details of the radiographic image to emerge from the film.

Following the development, the fixer plays a critical role in removing unexposed silver halide crystals from the film, effectively "fixing" the image and preventing further exposure to light. Without this fixing step, the image would continue to develop and eventually become overexposed, rendering it useless.

While other options present various steps and chemicals that could be part of a broader processing sequence, they do not represent the primary components specifically required for the manual processing of x-rays. For instance, water may be used during rinsing or as a diluent, but it is not a core component like the developer and fixer. Similarly, the wash and rinse phases are important for ensuring cleanliness of the film, but they do not involve the chemical action needed to develop or fix the image. Toner and bleach are external to traditional x-ray processing steps and pertain to other photographic processes, which do not apply directly