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Wednesday, June 07, 2017

Photoelectric effect

PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT

Speed of light (c) = 3x108 ms-1   
Planck’s constant (h) = 6.63 x 10-34 Js
Mass of an electron = 9x10-31 kg
hf = f + ½ mv2
wavelength = c / frequency

1. What is the photoelectric effect?
Release of photelectrons from the surface of metal upon illumination




2. What property must the incoming radiation have to cause photoelectric emission from a surface?


Above threshold value


3. What property of the incoming radiation determines the energy of the emitted photoelectrons?


frequency


4. What property of the incoming radiation determines the number of photoelectrons emitted per second?

intensity




5. Radiation of wavelength 120 nm falls on a zinc plate. The threshold wavelength for this surface is 200 nm.

(a)  what is the energy of a quantum of the incident radiation?

E = hf
(b)  what is the energy required to give photoelectric emission?
9.945e-19
(c)   what is the energy of the emitted photoelectrons?

1.6575e-18 - 9.945e-19
6.1e-19

6. When radiation causes photoelectric emission the electron emission is instantaneous - it occurs immediately when radiation falls on the surface. What does this tell you about the incident radiation?
Travels at the speed of light






TAP 502-2: Photoelectric effect questions

hf = f + (1/2) mv2 and hf = f + eVs

e = 1.60 x 10-19 C,
h = 6.63 x 10-34 J s,
mass of electron = 9.11 x 10-31 kg

1          The work function for lithium is 4.6 x 10-19 J.
(a)        Calculate the lowest frequency of light that will cause photoelectric emission.
(b)        What is the maximum energy of the electrons emitted when light of 7.3 x 1014 Hz is used?

2          Complete the table.

Metal
Work Function
/eV
Work Function
/J
Frequency
used /Hz
Maximum KE of
Ejected electrons /J
Sodium
2.28

6 x 1014

Potassium

3.68 x 10-19

0.32 x 10-19
Lithium
2.9

1 x 1015

Aluminium
4.1


0.35 x 10-19
Zinc
4.3


1.12 x 10-19
Copper

7.36 x 10-19
1 x 1015


3          The stopping potential when a frequency of 1.61 x 1015 Hz is shone on a metal is 3 V.
(a)        What is energy transferred by each photon?
(b)        Calculate the work function of the metal.
(c)        What is the maximum speed of the ejected electrons?

4          Selenium has a work function of 5.11 eV. What frequency of light would just eject electrons? (The threshold frequency is when the max KE of the ejected electrons is zero)

5          A frequency of 2.4 x 1015 Hz is used on magnesium with work function of 3.7 eV.
(a)        What is energy transferred by each photon?
(b)        Calculate the maximum KE of the ejected electrons.
(c)        The maximum speed of the electrons.
(d)        The stopping potential for the electrons.


Answers and worked solutions
1(a)     hf = f
hf = 4.60 x 10-19
f = 4.60 x 10-19 / 6.63 x 10-34 = 6.94 x 1014 Hz

 (b)      hf = f + (1/2) mv2.   (6.63 x 10-34 x 7.30 x 1014) = 4.60 x 10-19 + (1/2) mv2
4.84 x 10-19 - 4.60 x 10-19 = (1/2) mv2 = 0.24 x 10-19 J


2
Metal
Work Function
/ eV
Work Function
/ J
Frequency
used / Hz
Maximum KE of
ejected electrons / J
Sodium
2.28
3.65 x 10-19
6 x 1014
0.35 x 10-19
Potassium
2.30
3.68 x 10-19
6 x 1014
0.32 x 10-19
Lithium
2.90
4.64 x 10-19
1. x 1015
1.99 x 10-19
Aluminium
4.10
6.56 x 10-19
1.04 x 1015
0.35 x 10-19
Zinc
4.30
6.88 x 10-19
1.2 x 1015
1.12 x 10-19
Copper
4.60
7.36 x 10-19
1 x 1015
0
For copper 1 x 1015 Hz is below the threshold frequency so no electrons are ejected.
3)
(a)       1.07 x 10-18 J
(b)       hf = f + eVs, so f = hf - eVs, so f = 1.07 x 10-18 – (1.6 x 10-19 x 3) = 5.9 x 10-19 J
(c)       eVs = (1/2) mv2 so (1.60 x 10-19 x 3) = 0.5 x 9.11 x 10-31 x v2 
so v2 =1.04 x 1012 and v = 1.02 x 106 m s-1

4          1.2 x 1015 Hz

5
(a)       1.6 x 10-18 J
(b)       (1/2) mv2 = 1.0 x 10-18 J
(c)       v2 = 1.1 x 1012 so v = 1.1 x 106 m s-1
 (d)      (not in spec) eVs = (1/2) mv2 so eVs = 1.00 x 10-18 and Vs = 0.63 V