Tutorial 1

THEORY OF METALS

Prepared by Er Dhurba Karki, Lecturer, Khwopa Colege of

5/29/2021 1
Engineering
 1) An electron is confined to an infinite potential well of size 0.1nm. Calculate
the ground energy of the electron and radian frequency. How can this
electron be put into the third energy level?
2) An electron is confined to an infinite potential well The length of
confinement is 0.01nm. Calculate the energy and wave function of electron
at third energy level?
3) For an electron confined to an infinite potential well of width 0.1nm,
determine the uncertainty in momentum and kinetic energy.
4) Find the wavelength of an electron accelerated by 100V.
5) Calculate the Fermi energy level at 0K for copper given its density 8.96
g/cm3 and atomic mass 63.5 g/mol. Given that: NA= 6.022*1023 /mol.

Prepared by Er Dhurba Karki, Lecturer, Khwopa Colege of

5/29/2021 2
Engineering
 6) Calculate the Fermi energy level at absolute zero for the copper having
electron concentration of 8.43*1028 /m3.
7) Find the probability that an energy state KT above the fermi level will be
occupied by an electron.
8) Find the probability that an energy state 5KT above the fermi level will not
occupied by an electron.
9) Find the temperature at which there is 90% probability that an energy state
0.3eV below the fermi energy level will be occupied by an electron.
10) A transmitter type vacuum tube operated at 1500C has a cylindrical
Thorium coated Tungsten cathode which is 5cm long with diameter of
1.5mm. Determine the saturation current of vacuum tube if the cathode has
emission constant of 3*104 A/m2K2 and work function of 2.6 eV.

Prepared by Er Dhurba Karki, Lecturer, Khwopa Colege of

5/29/2021 3
Engineering
 11) A transmitter type vacuum tube operated at 1600C has a cylindrical
Thorium coated Tungsten cathode which is 4cm long with diameter of 2mm.
Determine the saturation emission current of vacuum tube if the cathode is
separated from anode by 1mm and the anode voltage is 4kV. Given that
emission constant = 3*104 A/m2K2 and work function = 2.6 eV.
12) In the photoelectric experiment, a green light with a wavelength of 522nm is
the longest wavelength radiation that can cause photoemission of electron
from a clean sodium surface. Calculate the work function of sodium. If UV
radiation with a wavelength 250nm is incident to the sodium surface, what
will be the kinetic energy and velocity of the photo emitted electrons.

Prepared by Er Dhurba Karki, Lecturer, Khwopa Colege of

5/29/2021 4
Engineering
 13) Consider the two copper wires separated only by their surface oxide
layer(CuO) of thickness 3nm. The surface oxide layer offer potential barrier
of height 10eV to the conduction electrons in copper. What is the
transmission probability for conduction electron in copper, which have
kinetic energy of about 7eV?
14) A 3nm thick oxide layer of CuO separates two copper conductors providing
barrier of height 10eV for the conduction electrons in copper. Determine the
transmission coefficient if the energy of electron is 5eV. What will be the
new transmission coefficient if the thickness of two CuO was reduced to
1nm.

Prepared by Er Dhurba Karki, Lecturer, Khwopa Colege of

5/29/2021 5
Engineering
 15) Consider a Al-Cu thermocouple pair, estimate the potential difference
available from this thermocouple if one junction is held at 0C and the other
at100C.

Metal Fermi Energy(EF)(eV) Constant(x)

Al 11.6 2.78
Cu 7.01 -1.79

Prepared by Er Dhurba Karki, Lecturer, Khwopa Colege of

5/29/2021 6
Engineering