Photoelectric effect and stopping potential

In summary: I am going to bed. In summary, the photoelectric effect is the process by which photons cause electrons to be emitted from an object. The energy of a photon in terms of its wavelength determines the energy of the emitted electrons.
  • #1
dawn_pingpong
50
0
I have a question:

A stopping potential of 0.5 V is required when a phototube is illuminated with monochromatic light of 490nm wavelength. The wavelength of a different monochromatic illumination for which the stopping potential is 1.50V is closest to:

a) 350nm
b) 330 nm
c) 380nm
d) 400 nm
e) 500 nm

I am not very clear with the concept of this whole thing, so it will be nice if anyone can explain the concepts (or rather what are the fornulas) too. Thank you.
 
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  • #2
dawn_pingpong said:
I have a question:

A stopping potential of 0.5 V is required when a phototube is illuminated with monochromatic light of 490nm wavelength. The wavelength of a different monochromatic illumination for which the stopping potential is 1.50V is closest to:

a) 350nm
b) 330 nm
c) 380nm
d) 400 nm
e) 500 nm

I am not very clear with the concept of this whole thing, so it will be nice if anyone can explain the concepts (or rather what are the fornulas) too. Thank you.

Welcome to the PF.

What can you tell us about the photoelectric effect? How does the energy of the incident photons affect the energy of the emitted electrons? What is the energy of a photon in terms of its wavelength?

There is a reason that we have a Homework Help Template here at the PF. It requires you to list the Relevant Equations...
 
  • #3
I'm sorry I deleted the template... I thought that it was just the prompts...

This is what I know:
Planck's Law
$E=frac(hc/lambda)$, which in this case equals to 4.0567E-19

then KE(max)=eV。=E-work function

(from what I understand V is the stopping potential)

Then, uhhhh. I start to confuse myself. I suppose that e in this case is the energy of an electron. I only have the formulas from powerpoint slides (for lessons that I didn't attend), but they are not very well explained.

Well, Thank you all.
 

Related to Photoelectric effect and stopping potential

1. What is the photoelectric effect?

The photoelectric effect is the phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from a material when it is exposed to light of a certain frequency. This effect was first observed by Heinrich Hertz in 1887 and was later explained by Albert Einstein in 1905.

2. How does the photoelectric effect work?

The photoelectric effect occurs when photons of light with enough energy strike the surface of a material, causing electrons to be emitted. The energy of the photons must be greater than the work function (minimum energy required to remove an electron) of the material.

3. What is the stopping potential in the photoelectric effect?

The stopping potential is the minimum potential difference needed to completely stop the emission of electrons in the photoelectric effect. It is directly related to the maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons and can be used to determine the work function of the material.

4. How does the intensity of light affect the photoelectric effect?

The intensity of light does not affect the photoelectric effect. The number of electrons emitted is dependent on the frequency of the light, not the intensity. However, increasing the intensity of light will increase the number of photons striking the surface, resulting in a larger current of emitted electrons.

5. What is the significance of the photoelectric effect?

The photoelectric effect has significant implications in modern technology, particularly in the development of solar cells and photodetectors. It also played a crucial role in the development of quantum mechanics and our understanding of the nature of light and matter.

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