PHYSICS

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PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT

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INTRODUCTION

Is light a continuous wave, or is it quantized in energy and space, or can

it be one and the other? By observing what occurs when various
wavelengths and intensities of light shine on metal, you will be able to
better understand the nature of light.

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INTRODUCTION(2)
• When light shines on a clean metal surface, electrons may be ejected.
This occurs only when the electrons in the metal absorb a sufficient
amount of energy from the light to escape from the metal. This
energy is called the binding energy or work function Φ.
• The work function is different for each type of metal.
• Energy absorbed in excess of this binding energy is carried off by the
electron as kinetic energy. Some of this kinetic energy may be
transferred to other electrons or atoms in the metal so that the
electrons will have a range of kinetic energies leaving the metal.

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INTRODUCTION(3)
• When a photon of high enough energy collides with an electron near
the surface of a metal, it transfers all its energy to the electron. If
there is enough energy for that particular metal, then the electron
that the photon collided with, is knocked out of the metal.
• If there is not quite enough energy to remove the electron from the
metal, then the energy excites electrons into the next energy level,
which then fall back emitting energy (the metal looks shiny).

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Classical Theory
• Electromagnetism Classical wave theory states that when light energy
is absorbed by electrons, energy is transferred continuously. After an
electron has absorbed sufficient energy Φ, it will leave the metal with
a minimum of kinetic energy.
• Increasing the light intensity (electromagnetic energy per second per
unit area) causes electrons to leave the metal at a greater rate and
attain greater kinetic energy.
• Increasing the frequency while maintaining light intensity does not
change the rate of electron emission. Any frequency of light will eject
electrons if sufficient intensity and time is provided.

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Quantum theory
• Quantum theory claims that the energy of light is concentrated into
discrete bundles called photons. For a given wavelength of light, each
photon has the same energy
• E = hf
• where h is a constant, f is the frequency of the light. The intensity of
light determines the rate of electron emission from the metal
provided that each photon has sufficient energy to eject an electron.
• Light of sufficiently high frequency f ejects electrons even at very low
intensities.

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PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
• The photoelectric effect is the process that occurs when
electromagnetic radiation (light) shines on a metal surface and ejects
electrons from the metal
• In order to understand the photoelectric effect and spectra, we need
to remind ourselves of Bohr’s atomic model.

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BOHR’S MODEL OF AN ATOM
According to Bohr’s model
▪ More than 1 electron could move in each orbit.
▪ Electrons release and absorb energy as they move between energy
levels.
▪ Electrons move as waves within the orbitals.

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Diagram showing the energy levels in an atom

• When the electron in a hydrogen atom is in the orbital closest to the

nucleus, it possesses the least amount of energy. This is called the
“ground state”.
• An electron in an energy level further from the nucleus than it
normally occupies, is said to be in the ‘excited state’.
• Movement between orbitals causes energy to be released and
absorbed. We see this as absorption and emission spectra

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CONTINUOUS EMISSION SPECTRUM
• The continuous emission spectrum is obtained when pure white light
is passed through a triangular glass prism. The light is dispersed (split)
into its component visible colours; often referred to as the rainbow.

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ATOMIC LINE EMISSION SPECTRUM

• If the light emitted by a gas discharge tube containing a gas (e.g.

hydrogen) is passed through a prism, the spectrum produced is no
longer continuous but it is a line emission spectrum. It consists of a
number of separate coloured lines.
• The line spectrum of an element is characteristic of that element and
can be used to identify that element. It is almost like a ‘fingerprint’ for
the element.

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ABSORPTION SPECTRUM
• A spectrum of electromagnetic radiation transmitted through a
substance showing dark lines or bands due to absorption of specific
wave length

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WAVE AND PARTICLE NATURE OF LIGHT
• Light has a wave nature which is shown by its ability to be reflected,
refracted and diffracted.
• Light also has a particle nature. The particles in light are called
photons. The energy (E) of each photon is given by:

E = hf where h = Plank’s constant = 6,63x10-34 J.s ;

• f = frequency of the light used

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Work function (Wo)
• Work is done in removing an electron from the surface of a metal.
The minimum amount of energy needed to remove an electron from
the metal is called the Work function (Wo).
• The corresponding frequency is called the cut-off or threshold
frequency; and it is defined as the minimum frequency of radiation at
which electrons will be ejected from the surface of a metal.
• This cut-off frequency depends on the type of metal used.

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PHOTON
• A packet or bundle of energy is called a photon.

• Energy of a photon is E = hν=hc/ λ where h is the Planck’s constant,

νis the frequency of the radiation or photon, c is the speed of light
(e.m. wave) and λ is the wavelength.

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Properties of photons:

• A photon travels at a speed of light c in vacuum. (i.e. 3 x 10-8m/s)

• It has zero rest mass. i.e. the photon can not exist at rest.
Photons travel in a straight line.
• Energy of a photon depends upon frequency of the photon; so the
energy of the photon does not change when photon travels from one
medium to another.
• Wavelength of the photon changes in different media; so, velocity of
a photon is different in different media.
• Photons are electrically neutral.

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PROPERTIES OF PHOTONS:
• Photons may show diffraction under given conditions.
• Photons are not deviated by magnetic and electric fields.

• Non metals also show photoelectric effect. Liquids and gases also
show this effect but to limited extent.

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EXPERIMENTAL SET UP TO STUDY
PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
• The phenomenon of emission of electrons from mainly metal surfaces
exposed to light energy (X –rays, γ–rays, UV rays, Visible light and
even Infra Red rays) of suitable frequency is known as photoelectric
effect.
• The electrons emitted by this effect are called photoelectrons.
The current constituted by photoelectrons is known as photoelectric
current.
• Note: Non metals also show photoelectric effect. Liquids and gases
also show this effect but to limited extent.

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SET UP
• When light of suitable frequency falls on the metallic cathode,
photoelectrons are emitted. These photoelectrons are attracted
towards the +ve anode and hence photoelectric current is
constituted.

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Application of Photoelectric Effect
• Automatic fire alarm
• Automatic burglar alarm
• Scanners in Television transmission
• Reproduction of sound in cinema film
• In paper industry to measure the thickness of paper
• To locate flaws or holes in the finished goods
• In astronomy
• To determine opacity of solids and liquids
• Automatic switching of street lights

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Application of Photoelectric Effect(1)
• To control the temperature of furnace
• Photometry
• Beauty meter –To measure the fair complexion of skin
• Light meters used in cinema industry to check the light
• Photoelectric sorting
• Photo counting
• Meteorology

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LAWS OF PHOTOELECTRIC EMISSION
• For a given substance, there is a minimum value of frequency of
incident light called threshold frequency below which no
photoelectric emission is possible, howsoever, the intensity of
incident light may be.
• The number of photoelectrons emitted per second (i.e. photoelectric
current) is directly proportional to the intensity of incident light
provided the frequency is above the threshold frequency.
• The maximum kinetic energy of the photoelectrons is directly
proportional to the frequency provided the frequency is above the
threshold frequency..

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LAWS OF PHOTOELECTRIC EMISSION
• The maximum kinetic energy of the photoelectrons is independent of
the intensity of the incident light.
• The process of photoelectric emission is instantaneous. i.e. as soon as
the photon of suitable frequency falls on the substance, it emits
photoelectrons.
• The photoelectric emission is one-to-one. i.e. for every photon of
suitable frequency one electron is emitted

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Beer-Lambert law( PRINCIPLE)
• The Beer-Lambert law defines the relationship between the concentration of a solution
and the amount of light absorbed by the solution:

• Where:
• A = Absorbance
• = Molar absorptivity [L mol cm ]
• d = Path length of the cuvette containing the sample [cm]
• C = Concentration of the compound in solution [mol L ]

• Transmittance is the relationship between the amount of light that is transmitted to the
detector once it has passed through the sample (I) and the original amount of light (I0).

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Beer-Lambert law( PRINCIPLE)-2
• Transmittance is the relationship between the amount of light that is
transmitted to the detector once it has passed through the sample (I)
and the original amount of light (Io). This is expressed in the following
formula.
• T = I / Io Where Io is the intensity of the incident light beam and I is
the intensity of the light coming out of the sample. Transmittance is
the relative percent of light that passes through the sample. Thus, if
half the light is transmitted, we can say that the solution has 50%
transmittance.

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