Quantum physics – Markscheme

1. A
[1]
2. (a) ejection of electron from metal surface following absorption of
em radiation/photon; 1

–34 14 19
(b) (i) energy of one photon = 6.67 × 10 × 8.7 × 10 (= 5.8 × 10 J);
number of electrons released from surface per second =
9.0  10 6  1.1 10 3
5.8  10 19
10
= 1.7 × 10 ;
10 –19
current = 1.7 × 10 × 1.6 × 10 ;
= 2.7 nA 3

–19
(ii) 2.4 eV or 3.9 × 10 J; 1
[5]
3. D
[1]
4. A
[1]
5. (a) light arrives at the surface as photons, each carrying an energy hf;
electrons will absorb this energy at one step and so will be emitted
immediately / single event, no energy accumulates; 2

(by extrapolating the line)  = 1.6 × 10 J;

–19
(b) (i)
(accept answers in the range of 1.5 to 1.8) 1

–19
(ii) kinetic energy is EK = 1.7 × 10 J;
(accept answers in the range of 1.6 to 1.8)
2  1.7  10 19
and so v = 9.11  10 31 ;
5 –1
v = 6.1 × 10 m s ; 3
[6]
6. D
[1]
7. (a) (i) light consists of photons/quanta;
a certain minimum amount of energy (the work function)
is required to remove an electron from the metal;
if the photon energy is below this energy/work function
no electrons will be emitted;
the energy of the photons is proportional to the frequency /
E = hf (with terms defined); 4
 If work function is mentioned it must be defined to award [4].

(ii) different metals need a different amount of minimum energy

for electrons to be removed; 1
Accept answers in terms of work function if defined either
here or in (a)(i).

(b) (i) KEmax = hf –  ;

–34 15 –19
= 6.6 × 10 × 1.0 × 10 – 3.2 × 10 ;
–19
= 3.4 × 10 J 2

p2 h 2E h
(ii) use of E = 2m and p =  or use of v = m and p = mv =  ;
h
to give λ = 2mE ;
–10
λ = 8.4 × 10 m; 3
[10]
8. A
[1]
9. (a) eject an electron from the surface a minimum amount of energy/
the work function must be supplied;
light consists of photons;
hc
each photon has energy hf or  ;
if the wavelength is not below a certain maximum, the energy
carried by a photon cannot supply the minimum amount of energy required; 3 max

 Q 
  1.6  10 19  4.0  1010 
(b) (i) I =  t  = 6.4 × 10–9 A; 1

hc 6.63 10 34  3.00  108

 
(ii)  max 5.50  10  7 ;
 = 3.6 × 10–19 or 2.3 eV; 2

hc
(iii) P = N  where N is the number of photons emitted per second;
3.0  4.60  10 7
 34 8
and so N = 6.63  10  3.00  10 = 6.9 × 10 ;
18
  4.0  1010 
 
 6.9  1018  
ratio of electrons to photons is   5.8 × 10–9; 3

(c) (the wavelength is larger than the maximum necessary for ejection
of electrons and so) the current will be zero; 1
[10]
10. C
[1]
11. (a) (i) a line horizontal; 1

(ii) light consists of photons;

photon energy only depends on frequency;
maximum kinetic energy of electrons depends on photon
energy (therefore independent of intensity) / OWTTE;
increasing intensity produces more photons of same KE; 3 max

c 
 
f =    7.5 × 10 (Hz);
14
(b)
hf
 (eV)   K
e :
= 1.0eV;
–16
Allow all of calculation in J to give 1.6 × 10 J. 3
[7]
12. A
[1]
13. (a) A negative () B positive (+); 1

(b) Answers will be open ended but look for these main points.
light consists of photons;
each photon has energy hf;
a certain amount of energy is required to eject an electron from a metal;
if hf is less than this energy, then no electrons will be emitted;
and so no current will be registered by the microammeter; 4

14
(c) (i) intercept of f axis = 4.6  10 Hz; 1
(ii) intercept on Vs axis;
= 1.9 (0.2) eV;
or
h
15 15
slope of graph = 4.2  10 = e to give h = 4.2  10 eV s;
14 15
W = hf0 = 4.6  10  4.2  10 = 1.9 (0.2) eV; 2
[8]
14. C
[1]
15. Photoelectric effect
(a) light consists of photons;
the energy of each photon = hf where h is the Planck constant;
a certain amount of energy, the work function  is required to remove
an electron from the metal surface;

f
if h then no electrons will be emitted; 4
Award [4] for these precise points as they are needed in view of the question.
Award [2 max] for a purely qualitative answer.
 15
(b) (i) 1.1  10 Hz; 1
(ii) EK = hf   = Ve;
h
;
slope of graph = e
15
slope = 4.2(0.4)  10 ;
15 19 34
h = 4.2(0.4)  10  1.6  10 = 6.7 (0.4)  10 J s;
Note: the answer must show that the graph has been used  if not,
award [0] for a bald answer as this could have been taken from the
data book. 4
(iii)  = hf0;
15 34 19
= 1.1  10  6.7  10 = 7.4  10 J;
The value of h from (b)(ii) must be used.
or
from the intercept on EK axis;
= 4.5(0.2) eV;