29.2 The photoelectric effect

Learning objectives

By the end of this section, you will be able to:

• Describe a typical photoelectric-effect experiment.
• Determine the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons ejected by photons of one energy or wavelength, when given the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons for a different photon energy or wavelength.

The information presented in this section supports the following AP® learning objectives and science practices:

• 6.F.3.1 The student is able to support the photon model of radiant energy with evidence provided by the photoelectric effect. (S.P. 6.4)

When light strikes materials, it can eject electrons from them. This is called the photoelectric effect    , meaning that light ( photo ) produces electricity. One common use of the photoelectric effect is in light meters, such as those that adjust the automatic iris on various types of cameras. In a similar way, another use is in solar cells, as you probably have in your calculator or have seen on a roof top or a roadside sign. These make use of the photoelectric effect to convert light into electricity for running different devices.

This effect has been known for more than a century and can be studied using a device such as that shown in [link] . This figure shows an evacuated tube with a metal plate and a collector wire that are connected by a variable voltage source, with the collector more negative than the plate. When light (or other EM radiation) strikes the plate in the evacuated tube, it may eject electrons. If the electrons have energy in electron volts (eV) greater than the potential difference between the plate and the wire in volts, some electrons will be collected on the wire. Since the electron energy in eV is $\text{qV}$ , where $q$ is the electron charge and $V$ is the potential difference, the electron energy can be measured by adjusting the retarding voltage between the wire and the plate. The voltage that stops the electrons from reaching the wire equals the energy in eV. For example, if $\mathrm{–3.00\; V}$ barely stops the electrons, their energy is 3.00 eV. The number of electrons ejected can be determined by measuring the current between the wire and plate. The more light, the more electrons; a little circuitry allows this device to be used as a light meter.

What is really important about the photoelectric effect is what Albert Einstein deduced from it. Einstein realized that there were several characteristics of the photoelectric effect that could be explained only if EM radiation is itself quantized : the apparently continuous stream of energy in an EM wave is actually composed of energy quanta called photons. In his explanation of the photoelectric effect, Einstein defined a quantized unit or quantum of EM energy, which we now call a photon    , with an energy proportional to the frequency of EM radiation. In equation form, the photon energy    is