The discussion centers on the photoelectric effect and its implications for the particle versus wave nature of light. Participants assert that light behaves as a particle, as evidenced by the immediate ejection of electrons when illuminated with light above a threshold frequency, contradicting the wave model's prediction of a time delay for energy accumulation. The conversation highlights that while increasing light intensity raises the number of ejected electrons, it does not increase their kinetic energy, further supporting the photon model. The conclusion drawn is that the wave model fails to account for the threshold frequency and the instantaneous energy transfer observed in the photoelectric effect.
PREREQUISITESStudents of physics, educators teaching quantum mechanics, and researchers interested in the foundational concepts of light and electron interactions.
The photon IS the quantization of the wave. The wave is quantized and that shows up as a photon.sss1 said:So the energy of an individual photon is not quantised but the energy of a wave is quantised?
But a photon can have any energy it wants? Whereas the energy of a wave needs to be a multiple of hf?Drakkith said:The photon IS the quantization of the wave. The wave is quantized and that shows up as a photon.
That's the wrong way round. Classically the energy of a wave is not determined by its frequency. The Classical wave model cannot explain certain phenomena like the photoelectric effect.sss1 said:But a photon can have any energy it wants? Whereas the energy of a wave needs to be a multiple of hf?
No. The photon's energy is determined by the frequency of the wave.sss1 said:But a photon can have any energy it wants? Whereas the energy of a wave needs to be a multiple of hf?