QUANTUM

PHYSICS
So is light a particle?
Or is light a wave?
Light comes in energy packets
equal to hf
Each packet acts more like a
particle than a wave
These light particles are called
photons
Photons are also called quanta
 The energy of each quanta is proportional
to the frequency f of radiation

E=hf
frequency
Plancks constant
Energy
 Photoelectric Effect
Isthe ejection of electrons from a cold
metal surface when electromagnetic
radiation of sufficient frequency falls
on it.
Electrons escape from the metal
surface using energy from the incident
radiation
The setup
An adjustable voltage
is applied. Voltage
can be forward or
reverse biased (which
slows down the
electrons)

Photoelectrons return
to cathode through an
ammeter which
records the current
OBSERVATIONS
1. The existence of a threshold frequency:
Photo electrons are only emitted from a
metal surface if the frequency of the
incident radiation exceeds a certain value
known as threshold frequency
Dfn threshold frequency is the minimum
frequency of the incident radiation required
to cause the emission of electrons .
 Photoelectric Effect
The energy of one photon is given to one
electron
If the energy is more than the work function
of the metal the electron is emitted
Dfn- The work function, W of a metal is the
minimum energy needed for a free electron
in the metal to escape from the metal
surface

W= =hf
 Photoelectric Effect
Classical wave theory of light is unable
to explain the existence of a threshold
frequency,
According to the classical theory, the
energy of the incident radiation
depends on its intensity, the higher
the intensity the greater the supply of
energy. This wasnt the case.
2. Instantaneous emission of
photoelectrons.
Photo electrons are emitted as soon as
radiation of sufficiently high frequency fall
on a metal surface.(this is because energy
of a photon does not depend on the
intensity)
The classical wave theory states that the
energy from the incident radiation would
be continously supplied to an electron.
The electron would take some time to
accumulate sufficient energy that will
enable it to escape.
Emission wont be instantaneous
3. The photo current is directly proportional
to the intensity of illumination.
Increasing the intensity of illumination the
number of photons incident on a metal
surface also increases hence more free
electrons in the metal receive sufficient
energy to escape.
Rate of emission of photo electrons
increases and a large current flows
Increase in the photo currents is due to the
higher rate of emission of photoelectrons
not because photoelectrons have more
energy
 Classical theory fails to explain this
instead it say if the intensity of
illumination increases, each electron
would receive more energy and be
emitted with greater speed
1.The maximum kinetic energy of
photoelectrons is determined by the
frequency of radiation
Ek= hf-W
Ek eV is the kinetic energy of
emitted electrons
W is the work function of the metal sur
The photoelectric equation can be
written as

hf = + KE = + eV