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1921 Nobel Prize Winner of Physics

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Introduction

Professor Albert Einstein's discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect earned him the

Nobel Prize for theoretical physics in 1921.Time magazine named Albert Einstein Person of the

Century in 1921 (COMING UP, 2022). In this report, I will analyze what contributions he made

for the discovery of photoelectric effect and how this law is useful in our daily life?

1921 Nobel Prize Nominations

Despite the limited number of nominations for 1920, Einstein topped the short list. Niels

Bohr, a number of Dutch scientists, including laureates H. A. Lorentz and Petr N. Levedev,

submitted suggestions for this list. H.A. Lorentz presented theory of general relativity who

further paved paths for Elbert Einstein and supported his work. But among other nominees Elbert

Einstein won the price.

Albert Einstein Contribution to Photoelectric effect

In 1921, Albert Einstein provides first proof of this theoretical point through the

definition or description proposed on the photoelectric effect, reaching the conclusion that the

particle that corresponds to light is called a photon. German scientist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz

established in his Research (1987) that the photoelectric effect is an interaction between light and

matter that defies the electromagnetic wave theory of light. Albert Einstein created a brand-new

corpuscular theory of light in 1905 as a result of reflecting on these surprising tendencies. This

theory states that each light particle, or photon, has a certain quantity of energy that varies

depending on the frequency of the light, proving the wave-particle duality of light. This formula

is known as the photoelectric effect (Photoelectric Effect | Definition, Examples, & Applications,

2022).
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Photoelectric Effect Experiment

Albert Einstein performed the experiment for photelectric effect. In photoelectric effect

experiment, an electron that was previously bound to the metal is released when light with

energy above a certain threshold strikes it. Photons are light particles that collide with electrons

and use some of their energy to free them from the metal. A photoelectron, a free-floating

negative charge, receives the remaining energy from the photon. Using a vacuum tube with a

cathode to produce electrons and an anode to receive the current, photoelectric cells were utilized

to detect light. (Photoelectric Effect - Dual Nature of Radiation, 2022).

Applications of Photoelectric Effect

Solar panels are used to generate electricity by utilizing the photoelectric effect

phenomenon.

1. Metal in the solar panel helps generate electricity by releasing energy when light

strikes it.

2. The photoelectric effect is used in another way by digital cameras, which feature

photoelectric sensors that can recognize different hues of light and record light.

3. Smartphone lightning sensors help automatically adjust brightness in response to

lighting.

Photoelectric Effect on our daily Life

The photoelectric effect can benefit many aspects of daily life. The photoelectric effect

achieves amazing feats in the field of electricity, allowing for the use of public lighting. Because

this effect automatically turns on and off the lights that illuminate any location's avenues or
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streets, many of the machines performing this function do not require any kind of monitoring or

supervision from a person or operator (Willett, 2004).

X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) exposes a surface to x-rays while measuring

the kinetic energy of the released electrons. The chemical state, elemental analysis, chemical

composition, and energy equation of compounds of a surface are all important aspects of its

chemistry that can be determined (Photoelectric Effect - Dual Nature of Radiation, 2022).

Smartphones equipped with lighting sensors can automatically adjust screen brightness

based on ambient lighting. This is because the photoelectric effect's ability to generate current is

proportional to the amount of light shining on the sensor.

Conclusion

Elbert Einstein contributed to the field of physics by discovering and clarifying the dual

nature of photons, where it behaves as both a material particle and a wave, and emits electrons

by materials, primarily metals, when exposed to radiation such as rays, X-rays, ultraviolet, and

even visible light. His contributions resulted in the development of numerous inventions that are

now commonplace, such as TV cameras, counting devices, sound and picture reproduction in

movie theatres, and so on.

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Reference

photoelectric effect | Definition, Examples, & Applications. (2022). Encyclopedia Britannica.

Retrieved 1 October 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/science/photoelectric-effect

COMING UP. (2022). NobelPrize.org. Retrieved 1 October 2022, from

https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1921/summary/

Photoelectric effect - Dual Nature of Radiation. (n.d.). BrainKart. Retrieved 1 October 2022,

from https://www.brainkart.com/article/Photoelectric-effect---Dual-Nature-of-

Radiation_2942/#:%7E:text=Photoelectric%20effect%20-%20Dual%20Nature%20of

%20Radiation%20Photoelectric,Dual%20Nature%20of%20Radiation%20and%20Matter

%20and%20Relativity

Willett, E. (2004, December 30). The Basics Of Quantum Physics: Understanding The

Photoelectric Effect And Line Spectra (The Library of Physics) (Illustrated). Rosen Pub

Group.