DUAL NATURE OF RADIATION AND MATTER

Free electrons in metals:

In metals, the electrons in the outermost shells of the atoms are loosely bound. They are quite free
to move within the metal surface but cannot leave the metal surface. Such loosely bound electrons
are called free electrons. In order that an electrons may just leave the metal surface, a certain
minimum amount of energy has to be supplied to the electron which depends upon the properties
of the metal and the nature of the surface and is termed as the work function of the metal.

Work function :

Work function of a metal is the minimum energy required by an electron to just escape from the
metal surface so as to overcome the restraining forces at the surface.
Work function of a metal is generally denoted by Wo and it is usually measured in eV.
Work function is lowest for caesium (2.14 eV).
Work function is highest for platinum (5.65 eV).

Factors on which work function of a metal depends:

1. Temperature of metal
2. Nature of the metal
3. Impurities present in the metal surface

Photoelectric Effect:

The phenomenon of emission of electrons from the metal surface of metals, when radiation of
suitable frequency fall on them is called photoelectric effect. The emitted electrons are called photo-
electrons and current so produced is called photoelectric current.

Threshold frequency:

The minimum frequency of incident radiations required to emit the electrons from a metal surface
without any kinetic energy is called threshold frequency.
Threshold frequency is represented by νo .
The value of threshold frequency depends on the nature of material of the metal surface.

Laws of photo- electric emission:

1. For a given metal and frequency of incident radiation, the number of photoelectrons ejected per
second is directly proportional to the intensity of the incident light.
2. For a given metal, there exists a certain minimum frequency of the incident radiation below
which no emission of photoelectrons takes place. This frequency is called threshold frequency.
3. Above the threshold frequency, the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectrons is
independent of the intensity of the incident light but depends only upon the frequency or
wavelength of the incident light.
4. The photoelectric emission is an instantaneous process. The time lag between the incidence of
radiations and emission of photoelectrons is very small, less than even 10 -9 second.
Einstein’s photoelectric equation:

Einstein explained the various laws of photoelectric emission on the basis of Planck’s quantum
theory. According to Planck’s quantum theory, light radiations consist of tiny packets of energy
called quanta. One quantum of light radiation is called a photon which travels with the speed of
light.
Einstein assumed that one photoelectron is ejected from a metal surface if one photon of suitable
frequency of radiation falls on it.
Consider a photon of radiation of frequency, incident on a photosensitive metal surface. The energy
of the incident photon is spent in two ways:

1. A part of the energy of the photon is used in liberating the electron from the metal surface
which is equal to the work function of the metal.
2. The rest of the energy of the photon is used in imparting the maximum kinetic energy to the
emitted photoelectron.
QUESTIONS:

1. Why are alkali metal surfaces most suited as photo- sensitive surfaces ?
2. Define photoelectric work function. How is it related to threshold frequency ?
3. Define threshold frequency. Is it a constant quantity for a metal surface ? Comment.
4. Two metals A and B have work functions 4 eV and 10 eV respectively. Which metal has
higher threshold wavelength ?
5. Is photoelectric emission possible at all frequencies? Give reason for your answer ?
6. Monochromatic light of frequency 6.0 x 10 14 Hz is produced by a laser. What is the energy of
a photon in the light beam.

De- Broglie wavelength of an electron:

Consider an electron of mass m and charge e. Let v be the velocity acquired by electron when
accelerated from rest through a potential difference of V volt. Then
Gain in kinetic energy of electron = Work done on the electron
½ mv 2 = eV
v = (2eV/m) 1/2 (1)

If λ is the de- Broglie wavelength associated with the electron, then

λ=h/ mv (2)
From (1) and (2)
λ= h/ m (2eVm) 1/2

λ= h/ (2eVm) 1/2

λ= 6.63x 10 -34/(2x 9 x 10-31x 1.6x 10-19x V)1/2

λ= 12.27/(V) 1/2
QUESTIONS :

1. Derive the expression for the de- Broglie wavelength of an electron moving under a P.D. of V
volt.
OR
Show that de- Broglie wavelength associated with an electron of energy, V- electron volt is
approximately 12.27/( V)1/2 A0.
2. State laws of photoelectric emission. Establish Einstein photoelectric relation. Explain the
laws of photoelectric emission on the basis of this relation.
3. Show graphically, the variation of the de- Broglie wavelength with the potential difference
through which an electron is accelerated from rest.
4. Draw a plot showing the variation of de- Broglie wavelength of electron as a function of its
kinetic energy.
5. Draw a graph showing the variation of de- Broglie wavelength of electron with temperature.
6. X- rays of wavelength fall on photosensitive surface, emitting electrons. Assuming that the
work function of the surface can be neglected, prove that the de- Broglie wavelength of
electrons emitted will be ( hλ / 2mc) 1/2.
7. Fig. Shows the variation of de- Broglie wavelength verses 1/( V) 1/2 ( where V is the
accelerating potential ) for two charged particles A and B. Which particle have the heavier

mass. Explain.
8. How does one explain the emission of electrons from a photosensitive surface with the help
of Einstein photoelectric equation ?
9. Which photon is more energetic: A red one or a violet one ?
10. Why are de- Broglie waves with a moving football not visible ?
11. Two particles have equal momentum. What is the ratio of their de- Broglie wavelengths?
12. What is de- Broglie wavelength of an atom of mass m, moving at absolute temperature T
kelvin.
13. de- Broglie wavelength associated with an electron accelerated through a potential
difference V is λ. What will be its wavelength when the accelerating potential is increased to
4V?
14. A proton and an electron have same velocity. Which one has greater de- Broglie wavelength
and why ?
15. The threshold frequency of a metal is f 0 . When the light of frequency 2f 0 is incident on the
metal plate, the maximum velocity of electrons emitted is v 1 . When the frequency of
incident radiation is increased to 5 f 0 , the maximum velocity of electrons emitted is v 2 . Find
the ratio of v1 and v2 .
16. An electron, an alpha particle and a proton have the same kinetic energy. Which of these
particles has the largest de- Broglie wavelength?
17. An electron and a proton have the same de- Broglie wavelength. Which one of these has
higher kinetic energy ? Which one is moving faster ?
18. A proton and an alpha particle are accelerated through the same potential. Which one of the
two has (a) greater value of de- Broglie wavelength associated with it, and (b) less kinetic
energy ? Justify your answers.
19. A proton and a deuteron are accelerated through the same accelerating potential. Which
one of the two has (a) greater value of de- Broglie wavelength associated with it, and (b) less
momentum ? Give reasons to justify your answer.
20. Calculate the ratio of the accelerating potential required to accelerate (a) a proton and (b)
an alpha particle to have the same de- Broglie wavelength associated with them.