Topic 1: Particle Duality

Photons as discrete Particles.

Photoelectric Effect: Photon kicks out Electron.
Compton Effect: Photon scatters off Electron.

Particle Behavior

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 Momentum and Energy: Get it Right!

Momentum and Energy DEFINITIONS

h
p hk E hf h

Energy vs. Momentum RELATIONSHIPS

2
E (photon) pc
hc
E (particle)
2
p

hc
2m 2(mc 2 ) 2

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 Photons: Wave-like Behavior
de Broglie (1924) proposed that ALL particles
(photon, electron, etc.) have an associated
wavelength = h/p.
Proof for photon (zero mass) given by:

Rest mass
From Relativity: E pc mc
2 2

2 2

E pc 0
2
For a Photon (m = 0):
2
E pc

hc h
E pc
p

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 Photons: Quantized Energy Particle
Light comes in discrete energy packets called photons.

hc 1240 eV nm
Energy of E = hf
Single Photon (nm)

h hc E
Momentum of p=
Single Photon c c

From Relativity: E pc mc
2 2

2 2
Rest mass

E pc 0 E pc
2 2
For a Photon (m = 0):
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 Photons: Electromagnetic Spectrum
400 nm

Gamma Rays

X-Rays

Ultraviolet
Frequency

Wavelength
Visible
Visible Spectrum
Infrared
Microwave
Short Radio Waves
TV and FM Radio
AM Radio

Long Radio Waves

700 nm
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 Photoelectric Effect: Particle Behavior of Photon

PHOTON IN ELECTRON OUT

Photoelectric effect shows quantum nature of light, or existence of energy

packets called photons.
Theory by Einstein and experiments by Millikan.

A single photon can eject a single electron from a material only if it has the
minimum energy necessary (or work function
A 1 eV (or larger) photon can eject an electron with a 1 eV work function.

Electron ejection occurs instantaneously photons cannot be added up.

Two 0.5 eV photons cannot add together to eject the electron above.
Extra energy from the photon is converted to kinetic energy of the ejected
electron.
A 2 eV photon would eject the electron above with 1 eV kinetic energy.

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 Photoelectric Effect: Apparatus

Photons hit metal cathode and eject electrons with work function .
Electrons travel from cathode to anode against retarding voltage VR
(measures kinetic energy Ke of electrons).

Electrons collected as
photoelectric current at anode. Cathode
Photocurrent becomes zero when Anode
retarding voltage VR equals
stopping voltage Vstop,
i.e. eVstop = Ke
Light

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 Photoelectric Effect: Equations

Total photon energy =

e ejection energy + e kinetic energy.

2
hc mv
eVstop
2
where hc/ = photon energy, = work
function, and eVstop = stopping energy.

Special Case: No kinetic energy (Vo = 0).

Minimum energy to eject electron.

hc
Emin
min
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 Photoelectric Effect: IV Curve Dependence

Intensity I
dependence

Vstop= Constant

f1 > f2 > f3
Frequency f f1
dependence f2
f3

Vstop f
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Photoelectric Effect: Vstop vs. Frequency

eVstop hf
Vstop 0 hf min

hfmin
Slope = h = Plancks constant

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 Photoelectric Effect: Threshold Energy Problem

If the work function for a metal is = 2.0 eV, then find the threshold energy Et and
wavelength t for the photoelectric effect. Also, find the stopping potential Vo if the
wavelength of the incident light equals 2t and t /2.
At threshold, Ek = eVo = 0 and the photoelectric equation reduces to:
hc 1240eVnm
Et 2 eV and t 620 nm
Et 2 eV

For 2t, the incoming light has twice the threshold wavelength (or half the threshold
energy) and therefore does not have sufficient energy to eject an electron. Therefore,
the stopping potential Vo is meaningless because there are no photoelectrons to stop!
For t/2, the incoming light has half the threshold wavelength (or twice the threshold
energy) and can therefore eject an electron with the following stopping potential:

t hc
For (or E 2 Et ), eVo 2 Et 2(2) 2 eV 2 eV
2
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Compton Scattering: Particle-like Behavior of Photon

An incoming photon (E1) can inelastically scatter from an electron and lose
energy, resulting in an outgoing photon (E2) with lower energy (E2 < E1
The resulting energy loss (or change in wavelength ) can be calculated
from the scattering angle

Incoming X-ray Scattered X-ray

Scattering
Crystal Angle
measured

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 Compton Scattering: Schematic
PHOTON IN PHOTON OUT (inelastic)

hc
EE2 hc
2 2
2

hc
E1
1

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 Compton Scattering: Equation
Photon OUT Scattering Angle

h
2 1 1 cos
mc
Photon IN
Critical c= 0.0024 nm for e-

Limiting Values
No scattering: = 0 cos0 = 1 = 0
Bounce Back: = 180 cos180 = 1 = 2 c
Difficult to observe unless is small (i.e. > 0.01).
Derivation involves relativistic expressions - not done here.
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 Compton Scattering: Wavelength/Energy Problem
If a 0.511-MeV photon from a positron-electron annihilation scatters at
= 180 from a free electron, then find the wavelength and energy of the
Compton scattered photon.

2 1 C 1 cos (0.00243 nm) 1 cos180o 4.86 103 nm

hc 1240 eV nm
1 2.43 103 nm
E1 0.511 106 eV

2 1 2.43 103 nm 4.86 103 nm 7.29 103 nm

hc 1240 eV nm
E2 1.70 105 eV or 0.17 MeV
2 7.29 103 nm
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