Photons and the Photoelectric Effect

Further experimental evidence for photons comes from a

phenomenon called the photoelectric effect:
PhET Simulation
https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulations/photoelectric
 0 V & 50% Intensity
709 nm Vary Wavelength

Zero
0V Current
527 nm

Small
0V Current
395 nm

There is a cut-off or threshold

wavelength at which current just starts
to flow (as we lower the wavelength) 0V
Large
Current
There is a cut-off or threshold frequency such that …

… no matter how weak the light …

there is a current if

… no matter how intense the light …

there is no current if
 Photon Interpretation of Photoelectric Effect

When light shines on a metal, a photon can give up its

energy to an electron in that metal

The minimum energy required to remove the least

strongly held electrons is called the work function

If ,
we can eject electrons:

A light quantum, when

absorbed by a metal,
delivers its entire energy
to one electron
 Photon Interpretation of Photoelectric Effect
When light shines on a metal, a photon can give up its
energy to an electron in that metal

The minimum energy required to remove the least

strongly held electrons is called the work function

By energy conservation …

Photon Maximum Minimum Energy

Energy Kinetic Energy Needed to Eject
possible for an an Electron
Ejected
Electron
Photon Maximum Minimum Energy
Energy Kinetic Energy Needed to Eject
possible for an an Electron
Ejected
Electron
Einstein’s Explanation (1905):

When light quanta are emitted or absorbed, it is on an all-

or-nothing basis

A light quantum, when absorbed by a metal, delivers its

entire energy to one electron
400 nm & 0 V – Vary Intensity
20% Intensity 60% Intensity

0V I = 0.028 A 0V I = 0.085 A

100% Intensity

What happens to

a) e− max speed?
b) e−/photon number?
c) current? 0V I = 0.141 A
400 nm & 100% Intensity – Vary Applied Positive Voltage

0V I = 0.141 A I = 0.141 A

+1 V

What happens to

a) e− max speed?
b) e−/photon number? I = 0.141 A
c) current?
+2 V
400 nm & 100% Intensity – Vary Applied Negative Voltage

0V I = 0.141 A I = 0.123 A
What happens to
− 0.1 V
a) e− max speed?
b) e−/photon number?
c) current?

The potential at
which current
goes to zero is
stopping
I = 0.070 A I = 0.016 A
potential
− 0.4 V − 0.71 V
Further results:

Potential required to
halt current
Worked Example 2
For a metal used in a photoelectric experiment the cut-off
wavelength is = 330 nm.

a) Find the work function of the metal.

b) If photons of wavelength = 290 nm now shine on the

metal, find the maximum kinetic energy of the
photoelectrons and the stopping potential.