How does photocell output change with distance from infrared point source?

[Physicsameture]

If I were doing this I would plot a graph of Current on the x-axis vs. Displacement from source on the y axis, if you equipment is sensitive enough, you should be able to obtain a nice curve that will confirm the equation;

|I| = \frac{P}{4\pi r^2}

Another quiz question for posters: What would you expect your curve of I vs. r to look like?

~H

As the intensity increases, r decreases. So u should get a negative graph i think.

 

[Hootenanny]

As the intensity increases, r decreases. So u should get a negative graph i think.

Yes, it would be a curve because I \propto r^2 with the gradient being \frac{P}{4\pi}.

~H

 

[jerromes8]

i'm doing the same thing and you don't know how much help you've given me

 

[me2]

sam ur 1000% percent right! you people are a god send, I've been searching the net for about an hour (i know that isn't very long) but I've stubbled across you community here and I've got just about all the info i need from you! a lot of examining boards seem to like the topic of IR and distance don't they?
thanks
me

 

[i25959341]

just proposing

hey i am doing the same experiment and i am proposing my idea and i want ur comments on it
ermm i wud connect a photocell in series with an ammeter with a voltage meter. The photocell/ LDR/ Photodiode watever u call it, wud be directly pointed toward my light source. Therefore my circuit wud have a change in resistance wen my light source hit the LDR or a photocell. Using that information i cud vary the distance and obsevre the difference in resistance and therefore the strenght of my signal. i wonder if it s possible to calculate number of photons hitting my LDR?
The experiment wud be performed in a dark room and with safety google due to the dange of infrared light.
my thought on this experiment wud be since light diffract sometimes therefore the amount of photons hitting my LDR wud varied with the distances. Yet the question said how the output from a photo cell depends on its distance from a POINT SOUCE of infre-red radiation, so i have doubt whether it wud diffract or not due the confusion caused by the wording of the question. Nevertheless, that s my simple plan at the moment and i wud be really gratefull if some1 cud spot any wrong doing in my ignorant planning

 

[i25959341]

i also wonder how cud i use the information provided from my experiement to calculate the number photons hitting my LDR??
i meant shud i use the power equations like P=VI cos this is like joules per second and divided it by E=hf(frequency of infrared ) so i can get number photons hittin the LDR. Therefore i cud make a even more brilliant graph like how the number of photons decrease as the distance get longer due to diffraction.
does that sound right ??

 

[i25959341]

'A photoresistor is made of a high resistance semiconductor. If light falling on the device is of high enough frequency, photons absorbed by the semiconductor give bound electrons enough energy to jump into the conduction band. The resulting free electron (and its hole partner) conduct electricity, thereby lowering resistance.'
therefore does that mean wen more photon hitting the LDR then the Amp increase since it allowed more charged particle to go around the circuit? like photo electric effect??

 

[i25959341]

THEREFORE, since amp is number of charged particle per second or something. the current of an infrared hitting my resistor and the current of my resistor without any light, the differences is the number of electrons released by the infrared. and since according to photoelectric effect each electron cud only be released by one photon then the number of electrons= the number photon hitting my LDR?

 

[i25959341]

assuming each photon has archeieved the threshold frequency or something? but i think that wud depend on the sensitivity of my LDR right?

 

[i25959341]

mannn i think i am wrong here but i just guessing

 

[i25959341]

hello hello reply please some1 please wake up or something loool