American Society for Nondestructive Testing (ASNT) Radiographic Testing Practice Test

Excessive exposure of film to light prior to its development leads to a foggy film. This occurs because the film's emulsion has light-sensitive crystals that begin to react when exposed to ambient light, resulting in an unintended image on the film. The more light the film is exposed to, the more these crystals become activated, leading to a uniform haze that obscures the details of the actual image.

This fogging reduces the contrast and overall quality of the radiographic image, making it difficult to discern any nuances or defects. Understanding the relationship between light exposure and the development process is crucial for obtaining clear and interpretable radiographs.

The other options, such as a clear and well-defined film or a sharply contrasted film, suggest desirable outcomes that are not achievable when excessive light exposure occurs. A completely blackened film represents an extreme outcome of exposure but does not accurately describe the more common result of fogging that falls between clear and completely black. Thus, foggy film is the consequence of excessive exposure prior to development.