Photoelectric Effect

Photoelectric effect:
The phenomenon in which electrons are ejected when
certain metals are exposed to a beam of light, is called
photoelectric effect.
It is the experiment shows light is also a particle. Energy
comes in particle-like chunks- basics of quantum physics.

Test metal Electrons

Photoelectric effect experiment
apparatus
I
Two metal plates in vacuum,
adjustable voltage between
them, shine light on one plate.
Measure current between plates.

A note about units of energy

0V
KE = - U
F + = - q V
+
E path + = - (- e)(1V)
+ = + (e)(1V) = 1.6
x 10-19 J
= 1eV
Phenomenon involved :
Absorption:Charges can absorb electromagnetic
waves, can cause charge to accelerate.

absorbed photon Moving charge

Ejected Electrons:
Electromagnetic energy could eject electrons from the
surface.
Accelerate with voltage I intensity
Measure current
Classical expectation is that the current varies with
intensity(May also vary with frequency).
Stopping Potential:
As the voltage is decreased the
photocurrent decreases.

The voltage can be reversed and some

current flows.
Stopping point independent of intensity
Characteristic of metal

KEmax eV
es

I
Atomic View:
A photon can eject an electron from an atom.
Photon absorbed
Electron released

Energy within the atom is quantized.

Minimum energy needed for interaction
Einsteins photoelectric equation

eVS hf
Work Function:
The minimum energy
required to eject Work functions for some metals:
electron from metal Na: 2.28 eV
surface is called the Co: 3.90 eV
work function of the Al: 4.08 eV
metal. Pb: 4.14 eV
Zn: 4.31 eV
Below a certain Fe: 4.50 eV
frequency no current Cu: 4.70 eV
can flow. Ag: 4.73 eV
f0 = f/h Pt: 6.35 eV

KE = photon energy work

function
Summary of Photoelectric experiment
results.

1. Current linearly proportional to intensity.

2. Current appears with no delay.

3. Electrons only emitted if frequency of light

exceeds
a threshold. (same as if wavelength short
enough).

4. Maximum energy that electrons come off with

increases linearly with frequency
(=1/wavelength).
(Max. energy = -stopping potential)
Important Graphs Related to Photoelectric Effect

Frequency & stopping potenetial graph:

eV0 hf 0
potential
Stopping

V0 f
0 f0 Frequency of light

Frequency & max. K.E.graph:

KEmax hf 0
Kmax.

KEmax f
0 Frequency of light
f0
Frequency & Photoelectric current graph:

Photoelectric
Photoelectric current is independent of

current
frequency of incident light

0 Frequency of light
f0

Intensity & stopping potential graph :

Stop[ping potential is
independent of intensity of
potential
Stopping

incident light

0 intensityof light
Time & photoelectric current graph :

potential
Stopping

0 intensityof light

This graph shows that the photoelectric current attains

the saturation value in 10 s from the start of the radiation
falling on the photosensitive material, irrespective of the
intensity of the light
 KE = photon energy work function

Each photon has: Energy = Planks constant *

Frequency
(Energy in Joules) (Energy in eV)
E=hf=(6.626*10-34 J-s)*(f s-1) E=hf= (4.14*10-15 eV-s)*(f
s-1)
E=hc/ = (1.99*10-25 J-m)/( m) E= hc/1240 eV-
nm)/(nm)
Initial KE of electron = E - energy
photon
needed to kick
as it comes out of metal electron
out of metal (Depends on type of
metal.)
Energy of photon = energy needed to kick +
Initial KE of electron electron out of
metal as exits metal
 Typical energies
Photon Energies:

Each photon has: Energy = Planks constant

Frequency

(Energy in Joules) (Energy in eV)

E=hf=(6.626x10-34 J-s)x(f s-1) E=hf= (4.14*10-15 eV-

s)x(f s-1)

E=hc/ = (1.99X10-25 J-m)/( m) E= hc/1240 eV-nm)/

(nm)

12
 application of photoelectric effect:

The photoelectric effect is commonly used to measure light.

Camera light meter

it can also generate electricity.

Photovoltaic cell
Photomultiplier tubes- application of photoelectric effect most
sensitive way to detect visible light, see single photons(eye is
incredibly good, can see a few photons)