CHAPTER

Dual Nature of
11 Radiation and Matter
TOPICS
11.2 Electron EmissionbaTEOb 8 11.6 Einstein's Photoelectric Equation:Energy
11.3 PhotoelectricEffect Quantum of Radiation
11.4 Experimental Study of Photoelectric Effect 11.7 Particle Nature of Light:The Photon
11.5 PhotoelectricEffect and Wave Theory of Light 11.8 Wave Nature of Matter

Analysis of Last 10 Years'CBSE Board Questions (2023-2014)

16+ IMCQ
VSA
’ 14+ SAI
SA II
questions
12+ LA

10+
of
8
Number
6

11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8

Topics

Weightagetract
Topic 11.6Einstein's Photoelectric Equation :Energy Quantum of Radiation is highly scoring topic.
Maximum VSA type questions were asked from topic 11.4 Experimental Study of Photoelectric Effect
Maximum SA lltype questions were asked from topic 11.6Einstein's Photoelectric Equation :Energy Quantum of Radiation.
QUICK RECAP
Cloctron emission : It is the phenomenon of emission of electrons from the surface of a metal. The minimum ener8Y
noeded byan electron to come out Trom a metal surtace is known as "work function" of the metal lt is denoted by o
electron volt (eV).
or Wa and measured in
hc
Work function W=o=

emission can be obtained from the following physical processes:

The electron the phenomenon of emission of electrons from the metal surface when heated
Thermionic emission : It is
suitably. light
emission : It is the phenomenon of emission of electrons from the surface of metal when
Photoelectric frequencyfallonit
radiationsof suitable
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter
311
Field emission or cold cathode
the phenomenon of emission of emission : It is Variation of photocurrent with collector plate
electrons from
the surface of a metal under the application potential for different intensity of incident
strong electric field.
of a radiation:

a photoelectric effect : lt is the phenomenon of

omission of electrons from the surface of metals,
ben light radiations of suitable frequency fall on Photocurrent
them.
Laws of photoelectric emission : The laws of Saturation
photoelectric effect are as follows: Stopping Current
For agiven metal and frequency of incident potential
radiation, the number of photoelectrons -Vo
ejected per second is directly proportional to Retarding Collector
the intensity of the incident light. potential plate potential
For a given meta, there exists a certain Variation of photocurrent with collector plate
minimum frequency of the incident
potential for different frequencies of incident
radiation below which no emission of radiation:
photoelectrons takes place. This frequency
is known as threshold frequency.
Above the threshold frequency, the maximum Photoelectric
kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectron current
is independent of the intensity of incident
light but depends only upon the frequency (or Saturation
wavelength) of the incident light. current
U,/,
The photoelectric emission is an instantaneous
of
process. The time lag between the incidence -Vo3 -Vo2 -Vo1 O
radiation and emission of photoelectrons is Retarding Collector
second.
very small, less than 10 Photoelectric potential plate potentiaB
of
Photoelectric current:
current Einstein's photoelectric equation : If a light
Current photosensitive material
Photoelectric frequency v is incident on a
depends on the intensity maximum kinetic
having work function (0o. then
of incident light and the energy of the emitted electron is given as
potential difference
Kmax =hu - O0
applied between the two Intensity of light
electrodes. For u>o
minimum negative or eVo = hu- o =hu - huo
Stopping potential: The cathode
anode plate w.r.t. to becomes
potential given tophotoelectric current or eVo =Kmax
plate at which the stopping potential or cut off
zero is known as Vo. Ife is the charge
on where uo =threshold frequency
potential. It is denoted by
the photoelectron, then Ao = threshold wavelength
À=incident wavetength
1 2
Kmay =eVo=~mvmax
2
Einstein's photoelectric equation is in accordance
of photoelectron and vmax is with the law of conservation ofenergy.
where m is the mass photoelectrons.
maximum velocity of emitted 9Dual nature of radiation : Wave theory of
the stopping potential o with electromagnetic radiation explains the phenomenon
Variation of radiation:
frequency u of incident
of interference, diffraction and polarisation. On the
other hand, photoelectric effect is supported by
particie nature of light. Hence, we assume dual nature
Stopping of light.
potential Metal A
(V) Metal B Photons: These are the packets of energy (or energy
particles) which are emitted by a source of radiation.
The photons emitted from a source, travel through
Frequency of incident space with the same speed c (equal to the speed of
radiation (u) ight).
312 wtG CBSE Champion Physics Class 12
hc According to Heisenberg's uncertainity principle
Energy of a photon E=hu= it is not possible to measure both the position
where, v =frequency, À=wavelength and momentum of electron at the same time
h=Planck's constant, c =speed of the light exactly.
There is always some uncertainity (Ax) in the
Momentum of photon is specification of position and some uncertainity
p=
E h (ap) in the specification of momentum
C
h
Ax Ap=
The rest mass of photon is zero. 2T
with the
The moving mass mof photon is m=
E h In general, the matter wave asSociated
electron is a wave packet extending over some
finite region of space. So, Ax is finite, also the
º All photons of light of a particular frequency v or momentum of the electron have uncertainity Ap.
wavelength à have the same energy
whatever be the
and momentum

intensity of radiation.
Photon energy is independent of intensity of
radiation. The wave packet description of an electron.
Photons are not deflected by electric and The wave packet corresponds to a spread of
magnetic fields. wavelength around some central wavelength
In aphoton-particle collision (such as photon (and hence by de-Broglie relation, a spread in
electron collision), the total energy and total momentum). Consequently, it is associated with
momentum are conserved. an uncertainty in position (Ax) and anuncertainty
Number of photons emitted per second of in momentum (Ap).
frequency v from a lamp of power P is
P PA
n=
h hc
9 de-Broglie waves (Matter waves): Radiation has dual The matter wave corresponding to a definite
nature, wave and particle. The nature of experiment
momentum of an electron extends all over space.
determines whetherawave or a particle description In this case, Ap =0and Ax ’ oo,
is best suited for understanding the experimental
result. Reasoning that radiation and matter should de-Broglie wavelength is independent of the
be symmetrical in nature, Louis Victor de Broglie charge and nature of the material particle.
attributed a wave like character to matter (material In terms of kinetic energy K, de-Broglie
particles). The waves associated with the moving
wavelength is given by à=
material particles are known as matter waves or de V2mk
Broglie waves. Ifa particle of charge g is accelerated through
de Broglie wavelength of electron:Energy of an a potential difference . its de-Broglie
electron of charge e accelerated by a potentialof
Vvolts is wavelength is given by 2=-
h

|2eV
V2mgv
=mv²=eV or v= V m For an electron, Å.
So, de Broglie wavelength of an electron is then For a gasmolecule of mass m at
given by T kelvin, its temperature
h h 12.27 de-Broglie wavelength is given
mv 2ev
or 2=
V2mev or 1 A by = JRmbT Where k is the Boltzmann
m m
constant.