Name: Tseliso Calvin Tsenoli

Student number: 202201035

Experiment title: Photoelectric effect
Experiment code: WV04
 PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
Aim:
To determine the value of Plank’s constant h.
Introduction:
When light strikes a metallic surface, it contains enough energy, which is then transferred to the electrons
of the metallic object. These electrons are then able to escape because they now have sufficient energy to
overcome the forces binding them. These electrons are now called photoelectrons. This process is called
photoelectric effect. The kinetic energy gained by the photoelectrons is:
K . E=e V o
From this we can come up with the formula that contains Plank’s constant:
e V o=hf −W 0
Where Vo is the stopping voltage, f is the frequency, h is the Planck’s constant (as previously mentioned),
Wo is the work function of the material.

hc W o
V o= −
eλ e
c
slope=h
e
c = 3 x 108 m/s
e = 1.6 x 10-19

Theory:
Albert Einstein came up with the theory of photoelectric effect by using a concept developed by Max
Planck, which was that light contained small pockets of energy called photons. From, which he derived
that the energy of a photon of an electromagnetic energy is:

E=hf
In terms of wavelength this can be given by:
hc
E=
λ
Where λ is the wavelength.
The minimum energy needed for an electron to escape the surface is called the work function
The photoelectric effect can be analyzed using Einstein’s method:
hf =K max + ϕ
where Kmax is the kinetic energy of the electron.

Apparatus:
1. Lamp
2. Voltmeter
3. Oscilloscope
4. Potentiometer
5. Color filters
6. Photocell
7. Multi-meter
Results:

Filter No Color Pass Band 1/λ x 106 Average v

(Ao) Frequency
600 Violet 3800 – 4500 2.6 – 2.2 2.4 0.85
602 Blue 4400 – 4900 2.3 – 2.0 2.15 0.385
603 Green 4700 – 5200 2.1 – 1.9 2.0 0.22
605 Yellow/Green 5300 – 5700 1.9 – 1.75 1.83 0.24
607 Orange 5750 - 6100 1.75 – 1.65 1.7 0.22
608 Red 6200 - 7500 1.6 – 1.3 1.45 0.475

Graphs and Calculations:

Determing Planck's constant

0.9

0.8

0.7

0.6
Voltage (v)

0.5

0.4

0.3

0.2

0.1

0
1.4 1.6 1.8 2 2.2 2.4 2.6
Frequency (1/λ)
 N

∑ x i=2.4 +2.15+2+1.83+1.7 +1.45=11.53

i=1

N
2
( ∑ x i ) =132.9
i=1

∑ yi =0.85+0.385+ 0.22+ 0.24+0.22+ 0.475=2.39

i=1

∑ yi2=0.852 +0.3852 +0.222 +0.24 2+ 0.222+ 0.4752=¿ 1.25 ¿

i=1

∑ x i y i=( 2.4∗0.85 )+ ( 2.15∗0.385 )+ ( 2∗0.22 ) +( 1.83∗0.24 ) +( 1.7∗0.22 ) +( 1.45∗0.475 )=4.85

i=1

∑ x 2i =2.4 2 +2.152 +2.002 +1.832 +1.72 +1.452 =¿ ¿22.72

i=1

N N N
N ∑ x i y i−∑ x i ∑ y i
i=1 i=1 i=1
Slope= N N
N ∑ xi −¿( ∑ x i ) ¿
2 2

i=1 i=1

6∗4.85−11.53∗2.39
Slope=
6∗22.72−132.9
Slope=0.45
N N N N

∑ x 2i ∑ y i−∑ x i ∑ xi y i
intercept = i =1 i=1
N
i=1 i=1

N ∑ x i −¿ ¿ ¿
2

i=1

( 22.72∗2.39 )−(11.53∗4.85)
intercept =
6 ( 22.72 )−132.9
intercept =¿-0.47
The variance is given by:
N
1
σ 2= ∑ ( slope∗xi +intercept − y i )2
N −1 i=1
1
¿ ¿
N −1
 1
¿ ¿
6−1
=0.04

√
N
1
σ= ∑
N −1 i=1
( slope∗xi +intercept − y i )
2

σ =0.2 0

The curve = (slope*x + Intercept) ± σ = (0.45x – 0.47) ± 0.20.

The uncertainty of the slope is given by:

√
2
Nσ
¿ N
¿
N ∑ x −¿ ¿ ¿
2
i
i=1

¿
√ 6∗0.04
3.42
¿ 0.26
Therefore
Slope = 0.45 ±0.26
Now recall the relationship between slope and Planck’s constant
c
slope=h
e

This implies that

slope∗e
h=
c
−19
10
h=0.45∗1.6 x 8
3∗10
−28
h=2.4∗10
and its uncertainty u will be given by
−28
u=(2.4∗10 ) √ ¿¿
u=¿1.38*10-28
Discussion: