Chapter 5 Atomic Physics

5.1. THE EXTERNAL PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT. DETERMINATION

OF PLANCK'S CONSTANT

1. THEORETICAL CONSIDERATIONS
The external photoelectric effect has been evidenced experimentally: when
light shines on a metal surface, the surface emits electrons. For example, you can start
a current in a circuit just by shining a light on a metal plate. The laws governing the
external photoelectric effect cannot be explained by just using the classical
electrodynamics theory. Einstein gave the quantum interpretation of the photoelectric
effect like an inelastic collision between photons and free electrons in metals.
According to Einstein the photon energy E f = hν is partly used as necessary work

(We) for extracting an electron from the metal while the rest of it will be transformed
as kinetic energy of the photoelectron:
m0 v 2
hν = We + (1)
2
Two of the laws of the external photoelectric effect are verified in this work:
1. There is a threshold frequency (a minimum frequency) ν0 of the incident radiation
with the following property: for all frequencies lower than ν0 the electrons are no
longer ejected from the metal (their velocity becomes equal to zero). If the frequency
ν is replaced by ν0 in relation (1) it is obtained:
hν0 = We (2)

The threshold frequency ν0 as well as the extraction work We depend on the nature of
the irradiated substance.
2. The kinetic energy of the photoelectrons is proportional to the frequency of the
incident radiation. Indeed from the relations (1) and (2) it results:
m0 v 2
Ec = = h( ν − ν0 ) (3)
2
It can be observed that Ec ≥ 0 for ν ≥ ν0.
Finding the opposing voltage it took to stop all the electrons (US) gave a
measure of the maximum kinetic energy of the electrons in electron volts Ec = eUS.
The expression of the stopping voltage US result from (3).
h h
US = ν − ν0 (4)
e e

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Here, by using a photoelectric cell these two laws are being verified in the
following manner: firstly, the current – voltage characteristics of the cell for different
incident radiations are graphically represented for determining the stopping voltage US
(fig. 1); secondly the stopping voltages as function of the frequencies will be
represented and the threshold frequency will be determined and the linear dependence

I (A) US (V)

US1
ν1
US2
ν2
ν3 US3
ν4
US4

US1 US2 US3 US4 U ν0 ν4 ν3 ν2 ν1 ν (Hz)

Fig. 1. Fig. 2.

of the kinetic energy of the frequency will be evidenced (fig. 2).

From the slope of US = f(ν) the Planck's constant it will be determined.

2. EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
A sketch of the experimental setup is presented in fig. 3.

G PhC Tr
S
+ A ~ 220 V
Power P K
220 V ~ V
source
(V)
F

Fig. 3. The experimental setup

P – variable resistance, G – galvanometer, V – voltmeter, S – light source, F – colour
filter, Tr. – Transformer.

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Chapter 5 Atomic Physics

3. DIRECTIONS
(a) switch ON the power supply and the transformer;
(b) insert the colour filter between the light source and the photoelectric cell. You
may start by using the blue filter (ν1 = 5.607·1014 Hz). Read the current intensity for
U = 0 V. Increase the voltage in steps of 0.05 V and read the corresponding values
of the current intensity. Determine the stopping voltage US for which I = 0 A;
(c) replace the blue filter with the following filters: green filter (ν2 = 5.217·1014
Hz), yellow filter (ν3 = 4.831·1014 Hz) and the red filter (ν4 = 4.098·1014 Hz) and
repeat the step (b);
(d) graphically represent in the 2nd dial I = f(U) (as in fig. 1) and US = f(ν) (as in
fig. 2);
ΔU S
(e) determine the Planck's constant according to the following relation: h = e
Δν
and from the graph represented in fig. 2;
(f) in the graph from fig. (2), by extrapolation determine the threshold frequency
ν0;
(g) determine the extraction work We aided by the relation (2) and express it in J as
well as in eV.

4. EXPERIMENTAL DATA TABLE

U I
ν US h ν0 We
K=0.01V/div K=3.4·10-8 A/div
Hz div V div A V Js Hz J eV

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