S04: Photoelectric effect and

Einstein relation

What you already know What you will learn

1. De Broglie Hypothesis 1. Threshold frequency

2. Radiation Pressure 2. Work function
3. Properties of photon 3. Photons and Einstein relation
4. Photoelectric effect 4. Failure of wave theory
Threshold frequency:
The minimum frequency of the incident radiation required to eject electrons from a surface.

𝑐
𝑓0 =
𝜆0

For 𝑓 < 𝑓0 , emission of electrons will not take place.

𝑓0 is different for different materials.
Work Function (𝜙):
The minimum amount of energy required to bring out the electrons from a surface is known as work function of the
material.

ℎ𝑐 12400
𝜙= = ℎ𝑓0 = 𝑒𝑉
𝜆0 𝜆0

It is constant for a particular metal surface, but it is different for different materials.
The phenomenon of emission of electrons from the metal surface will take place if the energy of one photon is
greater than the work function.
 𝑓 > 𝑓0 𝜆 < 𝜆0

No emission of photoelectrons takes place above the threshold

wavelength irrespective of the intensity of light.
Emission of electrons depends on the frequency and wavelength
of light falling on the surface.
The minimum frequency (𝑓0 ) of the incident radiation required to
eject electrons from a surface is known as the threshold frequency
for that surface.
The maximum wavelength (𝜆0 ) of the incident radiation required to eject electrons from a surface is known as
the threshold wavelength for that surface.
Ejection of electrons depends on energy of one photon and not on total energy (𝐼).
Minimum energy of one photon required to take out electron from the surface is known as work function for
that surface.
Work function, threshold frequency and threshold wavelength depends on the metal surface.
 𝐸𝑃 > 𝜙

Capable of taking out electrons from a metal surface

𝐸𝑃 < 𝜙
Incapable of taking out electrons from the metal surface

𝜙
 𝐼

𝐼𝐴𝜆
No. of photons falling on the surface/sec =
ℎ𝑐
No. of electrons coming out of the surface/sec
𝑖
and reaching the collector plate =
𝑒
Where 𝑖 is the current flowing in the circuit and 𝑒 𝜇𝐴
is the charge of an electron.

𝑖 𝐼𝐴𝜆
≪ The number of electrons ejected from the metal surface is much less than the number
𝑒 ℎ𝑐 of laayak photons falling on the metal surface.

Only some of the laayak photons will be able to eject electrons.

𝑁𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑒𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑟𝑜𝑛 𝑒𝑗𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔
For our convenience, we can assume that the ratio remains almost same for a particular
𝑁𝑜.𝑜𝑓 𝑝ℎ𝑜𝑡𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑓𝑎𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔
material.
𝐸

One photon can only give energy to one electron and a

particular electron can take energy from a single photon.
After absorption of photons, electrons can experience
multiple collisions with other charges within the material
and loose their energy, It is very likely that when the
electrons reach the surface of the material, their energy
becomes less than the work function of the material and
hence, they are unable to get ejected from the material. This
is the reason why no. of electron ejecting from the surface is
less than the no. of photons falling on the surface.

An electron can only come out of the metal surface when its
energy remaining after multiple collisions inside the metal is
greater than the work function .
We know that the energy of one ejected electron is: 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥
1 2
ℎ𝑓 = ℎ𝑓0 + 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥

𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ℎ𝑓 − ℎ𝑓0 ……..(1)

Thus, electrons will be ejected only if 𝑓 > 𝑓0

otherwise kinetic energy of the ejected electron will
be negative which is impossible. 𝑓
(𝑓0 )1 (𝑓0 )2
𝜙1
Comparing the equation (1) with the equation of
straight line: , we can say that:
▪ The graph will be a straight line having positive 𝜙2
slope.
▪ The intercept on the vertical axis will give us
the work function for the concerned material.
 Light of wavelength 2000 Å falls on a metal surface of work function 𝜙 = 2 𝑒𝑉. Find the maximum
possible kinetic energy of emitted electrons. Comment on the statement “Every ejected electron has a
kinetic energy 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 .”

Given: The maximum possible kinetic energy of emitted

The wavelength of light, 𝜆 = 2000Å electrons can be found as follows:
Work function, 𝜙 = 2 𝑒𝑉
Therefore, the energy of the incident photon will be:
12400
𝐸= 𝑒𝑉
𝜆 𝑖𝑛 Å Comment: Since many of the ejected electrons has to
suffer multiple collision before coming out of the surface,
all the ejected electrons can’t have the same energy rather
they will have different kinetic energy.

𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 4.2 𝑒𝑉
We know that the energy of one ejected electron can also be written as:

ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐
= + 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝜆 𝜆𝑜
1
The graph of 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 vs will be as shown in the figure below.
𝜆

𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥

1/𝜆
Light of two different wavelengths 𝜆1 and 𝜆2 falls on a surface. Ratio of maximum possible kinetic
energies of the electrons is 𝜂. Find work function of the surface.

ℎ𝑐 It is given that:
We know that: 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = − 𝜙
𝜆
For the light of wavelength 𝜆1 :
Substituting the values of 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 from equation (1) and (2), we get,

For the light of wavelength 𝜆2 :

ℎ𝑐 𝜂 1
𝜙= −
(𝜂 − 1) 𝜆2 𝜆1
Light of frequency 𝑓 and 2𝑓 falls on a surface, the maximum possible kinetic energies are 𝐾 and 𝐾 ′
respectively. What is the relation between 𝐾 and 𝐾 ′ .

𝑎 𝐾 ′ = 2𝐾 𝑓 2𝑓
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐾 ′
′ 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐾
𝑏 𝐾 > 2𝐾

𝑐 𝐾 ′ < 2𝐾

𝑑 𝐾′ = 𝐾
 𝑓 2𝑓
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐾 ′
Since the surface is same, assume that the 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = 𝐾
work function for both the surface is 𝜙.
The electrons will be ejected from surface 1 1 2
if:
For surface 1, we can write:
Subtracting equation 1 from equation 2, we get,
ℎ𝑓 = 𝐾 ′ − 𝐾
The electrons will be ejected from surface 1 if: 𝐾 ′ = ℎ𝑓 + 𝐾
For surface 2, we can write: Substituting the value of ℎ𝑓 from equation 1, we get,
𝐾 ′ = 2𝐾 + 𝜙
Hence, option (𝑏) is the correct answer.

𝐾 ′ = 2𝐾 + 𝜙
 K.E. of emitted photoelectrons
The maximum kinetic energy of a photoelectron
should also increase.
doesn’t depend on the intensity of the incident light.

The intensity of light

falling on metal is
increased.
The photoelectric effect should occur for any frequency Photoelectrons will get ejected only when incident light
of the light, provided that the light is intense enough to frequency is more than the threshold value.
eject the photoelectrons.
 Whole of the energy associated with a
photon is absorbed by a free electron,
Hence emission is instantaneous.

Light energy is uniformly distributed among the electrons.

The electron will take some time to accumulate enough
energy to escape from the metal surface. Hence there
should be a time lag.
Photoelectric effect can only be explained by using particle nature of light and not by wave nature of light.

If we consider the wave nature of light, then:

- Electrons should be ejected for every frequency/wavelength.

- There should be some time lag between the impingement of the light and the ejection of the electrons.
- The ejection of the electrons should not depend upon frequency/wavelength. Instead, it should depend
upon the intensity of the light.