2.
3 PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
The energies of electrons liberated by light depend on the frequency
of the light
During his experiments on electromagnetic waves, Hertz noticed that sparks
occurred more readily in the air gap of his transmitter when ultraviolet light was
directed at one of the metal balls. He did not follow up this observation, but others
did. They soon discovered that the cause was electrons emitted when the
frequency of the light was sufficiently high.
This phenomenon is known as the photoelectric effect and the emitted electrons
are called photoelectrons.
Graph of number of emitted photoelectrons versus frequency.
no of emitted
photoelectrons
f0 Frequency
Note
1. There is a minimum energy required to emit electrons for every surface. This a
characteristic/unique to the surface.
E = h𝒇o = the work function ( see below)
𝒇o is called the threshold frequency- The minimum frequency an
incident light must have to cause emission from a particular
surface.
2. Within the limits of experimental accuracy (about 10 9 s), there is no time
interval between the arrival of light at a metal surface and the emission of
photoelectrons. However, because the energy in an electromagnetic wave is
supposed to be spread across the wave fronts, a period of time should elapse
before an individual electron accumulates enough energy (several eV) to
leave the metal.
In the figure above, Photoelectron current is proportional to light intensity I for all
retarding voltages. The stopping potential V0, which corresponds to the maximum
photoelectron energy, is the same for all intensities of light of the same
frequency.
3. A bright light yields more photoelectrons than a dim one of the same frequency,
but the electron energies remain the same (Fig. 2.10). The electromagnetic
theory of light, on the contrary, predicts that the more intense the light, the
greater the energies of the electrons.
4. The higher the frequency of the light, the more energy the photoelectrons
have.
Threshold frequency, νo ,
What is the meaning of the critical frequency, ν0 below which no
photoelectrons are emitted? There must be a minimum energy for an
electron to escape from a particular metal surface or else electrons would
pour out all the time. This energy is called the work function of the metal,
and is related to ᶹ 0 by the formula
Work function, wo = h𝒇o
The greater the work function of a metal, the more energy is needed for an
electron to leave its surface, and the higher the critical frequency for
photoelectric emission to occur.
Some examples of photoelectric work functions are given in Table below. To
pull an electron from a metal surface generally takes about half as much
energy as that needed.
Photoelectric Work Functions for some elements.
Metal Symbol Work Function, eV
Cesium Cs 1.9
Potassium K 2.2
Sodium Na 2.3
Lithium Li 2.5
Calcium Ca 3.2
Copper Cu 4.7
Silver Ag 4.7
Platinum Pt 6.4
NOTE 1eV= 1.6 x 10 -19 joules
To pull an electron from a free atom of that metal; for
instance, the ionization energy of cesium is 3.9 eV
compared with its work function of 1.9 eV. Since the
visible spectrum extends from about 4.3 x 1014 to
about 7.5 x 1014 Hz, which corresponds to quantum
energies of 1.7 to 3.3 eV, it is clear from Table that
the photoelectric effect is a phenomenon of the
visible and ultraviolet regions.
According to Einstein, the photoelectric effect in a
given metal should obey the equation
Photoelectric effect formula
𝟏
hf= wo + 𝟐 mv2 f = frequency of radiation.
𝟏
hf= hfo + 𝟐 mv2
This implies if the energy of incident beam is greater the work function,
hf > wo, the excess energy is converted to kinetic energy of the ejected
𝟏
electron, mv2
𝟐
h f = wo + eV Where, V is the stopping potential: the voltage
that must be set up to just stop an emitted
photoelectron from moving from surface towards
anode.
𝟏
This implies eV = 𝟐 mv2
There are two symbols here you must try to differentiate
V = stopping potential, V capital letter.
v= velocity- v lower case
Attempt these questions
1. What is photoelectric effect?. Discuss how observations of this effect support quantum
theory of electromagnetic radiation.
2. Explain the terms ‘ threshold frequency’ and ‘photon’
3. Describe one experiment each in which light exhibits a wavelike character and another
where it exhibits the existence of photons.
4. A lithium surface for which the work function is 0.37 aJ is irradiated with light of the
frequency 6.3 x 10 14 Hz. Loss of electrons causes the metal to acquire a positive
potential. What will this potential have become by the time its value prevents further
loss of electrons from the surface?
5. Calculate the electron velocity for an accelerating potential of 10000V
6. What is the energy of a photon of visible light of wavelength λ= 6x 10-8m?
7. A homogenous beam of wavelength λ =300nm and intensity 0.05 W/m2 falls on a
sodium surface. The work function of sodium is 2.3 eV. Calculate
i. The average number of photons striking the surface per m2 per second.
ii. The average number of electrons emitted per m2 per second.
iii. Maximum kinetic energy of the photoelectrons.
8. In a photoelectric experiment, a monochromatic source of wavelength ,λ, is incident on
a potassium surface. It is found that the stopping potential is 1.91V for λ=300nm, and
0.88V for λ=400nm.
i. Estimate Planck’s constant
ii. Estimate the work function for potassium.
