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Photoelectric Effect

It was observed by Hertz in 1887, quite by accident, that a spark would jump easily between two
charged spheres when their surfaces are illuminated by light from another spark.
The photoelectric effect, which is the emission of electricity from metals due to incident
electromagnetic radiation, was first investigated in detail by Hallwachs & Lenard during
1886-1900.
The explanation of these experimental results came only after Max Planck proposed the quantum
theory of radiation.
It was Sir Isaac Newton who had initially proposed the corpuscular theory of light. His theory
was abandoned in favour of the wave theory, proposed by Huygens, as the latter was in
agreement with experiments like interference and diffraction.
More than a century later, Plancks quantum theory (somewhat similar to Newtons corpuscular
theory), got support from Einstein in the explanation of the photoelectric effect
According to Plancks quantum theory, light consists of packets of energy, referred to as
photons hereafter, which have the following properties:
(i) A photon of light of frequency contains energy E which is directly proportional to the
frequency : E = h, where h is Plancks constant
(ii) Photons also carry momentum P:
p = E/c = h/c = h/
where E is the energy of the photon, and c is the velocity of light in vacuum.
(iii) A photon is massless (zero rest mass) and moves with the velocity of light in vacuum (c = 3
x108m/s). It can never be brought to rest.
Explanation of Einsteins photoelectric effect

(i) Metals contain free electrons which are free to move anywhere within the body of the
metal. These free electrons however, cannot escape from the body of the metal and are,
therefore, bound in that sense.
The binding energy of these electrons with the metal varies from one electron to another the
minimum binding energy of a free electron is known as the work function of the metal (W). It is
the minimum amount of energy that is required to extract an electron from a metal.

(ii) A single photon of light can cause the emission of a single electron, and no more. Not all
photons, however, end up causing the emission of photoelectrons.
The photoelectric effect is not 100% efficient in converting photons into electrons.
(iii) A photon must posses a minimum amount of energy, equal to the work function of the metal,
in order to be able to eject a photoelectron.
This means, according to Plancks quantum theory, there is a minimum possible frequency below
which photoelectric effect does not take place. This frequency is also known as the threshold
frequency.
If a photon of frequency causes the emission of an electron, with a final velocity v, from a
metal having work function W, we have, using conservation of energy,
(1/2)mv2 = h B , the binding energy ;
For the fastest photoelectron that is emitted, this becomes,
(1/2)mv2 = h W
where, W = hth , and th represents the threshold frequency i.e. the minimum frequency of light
that can cause the photoelectric effect.
Example : Violet light ( = 4000A0) of intensity 4 watt/m2 falls normally on a surface of area 10
cm x 20 cm. Find
(a) the energy received by the surface per second,
(b) the number of photons hitting the surface per second,
(c) If surface is tilted such that plane of the surface makes an angle 30 with light beam, find the
number of photons hitting the surface per second.
Solution :
(a) Energy received per second per unit area
E = IA cos
= 4 x 0.02 J = 0.08 J.

(b) n h (c/) = E
=> n = (0.084000 x 10-10)/(6.6310-34x3x108)
= 1.609 x 1017
(c) n = IAcos60 x /hc
= 0.805 x 1017
Work function & Threshold frequency

The minimum energy needed to eject an electron from a metal is known as the work function of
the metal. Work function is different for different metals.
A photon having an energy at least equal to the work function can eject electron from the metal,
frequency of such a photon whose energy is just equal to the work function is called threshold
frequency.
Electrons are, therefore, emitted only if the frequency of the photon is greater than the threshold
frequency.
Kinetic energy of photoelectron :

In practice, the emitted photo electrons have a range of kinetic energies.


Suppose that, the energy of an incident photon is E and the work function of the metal is W.
The maximum K.E. that the photoelectron can have is given by the expression
Tmax = E W
If the frequency of the photon is and threshold frequency for the metal is o, then Tmax = h(
o)
For < o , electron is not ejected.
We can draw two conclusions:
(i) The kinetic energy of the ejected electron depends linearly on the frequency of the photon.
(ii) The number of Photo electrons ejected per unit time depends on the intensity of the light,
frequency of light being kept constant

The experimental arrangement for observing the photoelectric effect is shown in the following
figure.

All the ejected electrons are not able to leave the surface and hence are not able to reach the
anode. With an increase in potential difference across the tube, the number of electrons reaching
the anode increases.
When the potential difference across the tube is increased , the Photo current increases and
finally reaches a maximum value (Is) which depends on the intensity of light .
Stopping Potential

If the polarity of the battery is reversed and the applied potential is gradually increased, the
photo-current starts decreasing.
This is because the electrons are retarded, and most of the elecrons are unable to reach the
opposite electrode.
It is observed that when the applied retarding potential is increased, the photocurrent eventually
becomes zero. This potential is known as the stopping potential and depends only on the
material of the photocathode and the frequency of light.

If Vs be the stopping potential then


eVs = h W
The stopping potential Vs depends only on the metal and does not depend on the intensity of
incident light. a , b , c different intensites.

Example : Light from a discharge tube containing hydrogen atoms falls on the surface of a piece
of sodium. The kinetic energy of the fastest photo-electrons emitted from sodium is 0.73 eV. The
work function for sodium is 1.82 eV. Find
(a) the energy of the photons causing photoelectric emission.
(b) the quantum numbers of the two levels involved in the emission of these photons.
(c) the change in the angular momentum of the hydrogen atom in the above transition, and
(d) the recoil speed of the emitting atom assuming it to be at rest before the transition.
(Ionization potential of hydrogen is 13.6 volt and the mass of the hydrogen atom is 1.67 x 10-27
Kg, 1 eV = 1.6 x 10-19 J).
Solution :
(a) According to Einsteins photo-electric equation, the maximum kinetic energy EK of the
emitted electrons is given by
where h is the energy of photons causing the photo-electric emission and W is the workfunction of the emitting surface.
Given that,
EK = 0.73 eV and W = 1.82 eV
h = EK + W

= 0.73 eV + 1.82 eV
= 2.55 eV
(b) These photons (whose energy is 2.55 eV) are by hydrogen atoms.
As (I.E.)H = 13.6 eV,
hence E1H= (I.E.)H
= 13.6 eV
The energy of higher levels is given by
EnH= E1H/ n2
Hence, E2H = 13.6/4
= 3.4 eV
E3H = 13.6/9
= 1.5 eV
E4H = 13.6/16
= 0.85eV
The energy of the emitted photon is 2.55 eV.
Now E4H E2H
= 0.85 eV (3.4 eV) = 2.55 eV.
Thus the quantum numbers of two levels involved in the emission of photon of energy 2.55 eV
are 4 and 2.
(c) The electron transition causing the emission of photon of energy 2.55 eV is from n = 4 level
to n = 2 level.
Now, according to Bohrs 2nd postulate, the angular momentum of electron in the hydrogen
atom is (nh/2). Thus, the change in angular momentum in the above transition is
L = (4h/2) (2h/2) = h/

(d) The momentum of the photon emitted from the hydrogen atom
pph = h/c = 2.55x(1.610-19)/3108
= 1.36 x 10-27 Kg. m/s
According to the law of conservation of momentum, the recoil momentum of a hydrogen atom
will be equal and opposite to the momentum of the emitted photon.
Hence the recoil speed of the atom is

Exercise : A small plate of a metal (work function = 1.17 eV) is placed at a distance of 2 m from
a monochromatic light source of wavelength 4.8 x 10-7 m and power 1.0 watt. The light falls
normally on the plate. Find the number of photons striking the metal plate per square metre per
second. Find maximum velocity of photoelectrons.

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