Photoelectric Effect - Wikipedia
Photoelectric Effect - Wikipedia
Photoelectric Effect - Wikipedia
Emission mechanism
The photons of a light beam have a
characteristic energy which is proportional
to the frequency of the light. In the
photoemission process, if an electron
within some material absorbs the energy
of one photon and acquires more energy
than the work function (the electron
binding energy) of the material, it is
ejected. If the photon energy is too low,
the electron is unable to escape the
material. Since an increase in the intensity
of low-frequency light will only increase
the number of low-energy photons sent
over a given interval of time, this change in
intensity will not create any single photon
with enough energy to dislodge an
electron. Thus, the energy of the emitted
electrons does not depend on the intensity
of the incoming light, but only on the
energy (equivalent frequency) of the
individual photons. It is an interaction
between the incident photon and the
innermost electrons. The movement of an
outer electron to occupy the vacancy then
result in the emission of a photon.
Experimental observations of
photoelectric emission
Mathematical description
Stopping potential
The relation between current and applied
voltage illustrates the nature of the
photoelectric effect. For discussion, a
light source illuminates a plate P, and
another plate electrode Q collects any
emitted electrons. We vary the potential
between P and Q and measure the current
flowing in the external circuit between the
two plates.
Recalling