Questions on photoelectric effect

In summary: So the cutoff potential is 1.39e-19 J, or equivalently, 0.865 eV.In summary, the conversation discusses a problem involving a monochromatic light beam of wavelength 500nm hitting a clean sodium surface with a work function of 3.7e-19 J = 2.3 eV. The conversation covers questions regarding the momentum, frequency, and energy of the photon, as well as the cutoff frequency and potential for sodium. The conversation also discusses the emission of electrons and their maximum kinetic energy. The conversation concludes with a discussion of the cutoff potential for a cesium plate illuminated by photons of wavelength 400nm.
  • #1
EdJr
2
1
Hello!
First of all, this is my first post here. I hope it's on the right thread.
I managed to answer most of the questions, but I think at least some of them are wrong (for example, d)). Any help would be really appreciated.

Homework Statement


A monochromatic light beam of wavelength λ=500nm hits a clean sodium (Na) surface. The work function of sodium is W=3.7e-19 J = 2.3 eV.
a) What is the magnitude of the momentum of one photon of this beam?
b) What are the frequency and the energy of such photon?
c) What is the cutoff frequency of sodium? Graph it.
d) Will there be emission of electrons? If so, what is the maximum kinetic energy of an emitted electron?
e) What is the cutoff potential for a cesium plate illuminated by photons of wavelength λ=400nm, considering that the maximum kinetic energy of the photoelectrons is 2.23 eV?

Homework Equations


p = h/λ
f = c/λ
E = hf = K+W

The Attempt at a Solution


a)[/B] p = h/λ
p = h/500e-9
p = 1.32e-27 (kg*m)/s

b)
f = c/λ
f = c/500e-9
f = 6e14 Hz
E = hf
E ≈ 3.97e-19 J

c)
f = E/h
f = 3.7e-19/h
f ≈ 5.6e14 Hz
I think the graph is something like this, V0 being equal to W (I guess), and v0 being equal to f.

d) Since E = 3.97e-19 J is greater than W = 3.7e-19 J, there will be electron emission.
The kinetic energy will be:
E = K + W
3.97e-19 J = K + 3.7e19 J
K ≈ - 2.3 eV
I think this is wrong, because the kinetic energy shouldn't be negative, right? Is the formula wrong? Or am I using the wrong one?
(Edit: I think I just forgot the minus in the second exponent... The result, then, should be: 3.97e-19 J = K + 3.7e-19 J ≈ 2.7e-20 J ≈ 0.1685 eV)

e)
I'm not sure how to solve this one... Is the cutoff potential the same thing as the work function? If so, I'll run into the same problem as the previous one. If not, I have no idea how to solve this.

Thank you in advance!
 
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  • #2
EdJr said:
3.97e-19 = K + 3,7e19
Good so far (apart from the typo and missing units)
EdJr said:
K ≈ - 2.3 eV
How did you get that?
Yes, kinetic energy should be positive. You have to add something positive to 3.7e-19 J to get 3.97e-19 J as the second number is larger.

EdJr said:
Is the cutoff potential the same thing as the work function?
Yes. (e) is like (d), just going in the opposite direction.
 
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  • #3
Hello, E is the energy of the incident photon, and as you said is larger that the work function, the formula you used in (d) looks fine(regardless of sign mistakes), take a look at it you just recalculate
(e)Use E=W+K
You know the kinetic energy + you know the energy of photon so work it out !
I encourage you and sorry if I made any syntax mistake ...
 
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  • #4
Thanks for the fast responses!

mfb said:
Good so far (apart from the typo and missing units)
How did you get that?
Yes, kinetic energy should be positive. You have to add something positive to 3.7e-19 J to get 3.97e-19 J as the second number is larger.
Oh, that was really silly on my part. The typo was exactly what led to the wrong result. I thought the missing units weren't required at that point, but good to know.
So, it should be 3.97e-19 J = K + 3.7e-19 J, with the result being ≈ 0.1685 eV... Right?

mfb said:
Yes. (e) is like (d), just going in the opposite direction.
Hmm, ok. So, I tried this here:
f = c/λ
f ≈ 7.49e14 Hz
E = hf
E ≈ 4.966e-19 J
E = K + W
4.966e-19 J = 2.23 eV + W
W ≈ 1.39e-19 J

Is that right?
I'm still thinking that the cutoff potential and the work function aren't the same thing, since I've read in several places about them as different variables. Anyway, I couldn't find a formula to calculate it.

Noctisdark said:
I encourage you and sorry if I made any syntax mistake ...
Thanks for the encouragement!
 
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  • #5
EdJr said:
So, it should be 3.97e-19 J = K + 3.7e-19 J, with the result being ≈ 0.1685 eV... Right?
Right.
EdJr said:
W ≈ 1.39e-19 J
Right.
 

Related to Questions on photoelectric effect

1. What is the photoelectric effect?

The photoelectric effect is the phenomenon in which light (or other electromagnetic radiation) causes the emission of electrons from a material. This effect was first observed by Heinrich Hertz in 1887 and was later explained by Albert Einstein in 1905, for which he received the Nobel Prize in Physics.

2. How does the photoelectric effect work?

The photoelectric effect occurs when photons of light strike a material and transfer their energy to electrons within the material. This energy transfer allows the electrons to overcome the binding forces of the material and escape into the surrounding space, creating a flow of electric current.

3. What factors affect the photoelectric effect?

The photoelectric effect is influenced by several factors, including the intensity or brightness of the incident light, the frequency or color of the light, and the properties of the material itself, such as its work function and electron density.

4. What is the significance of the photoelectric effect?

The photoelectric effect has significant implications in various fields of science and technology. It led to the development of photocells and other light-sensitive devices, as well as the understanding of the particle nature of light and the concept of the photon.

5. How is the photoelectric effect used in everyday life?

The photoelectric effect is utilized in many everyday applications, such as solar panels, digital cameras, and motion sensors. It is also used in scientific research, such as in spectroscopy and electron microscopy, to study the properties of materials and molecules.

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