Physical properties & threshold frequency

In summary, the physical properties of an elemental metal affect the threshold frequency for that metal.
  • #1
SmileyMan
11
0
What effects do the physical properties (size of atom etc.) of an elemental metal have on the threshold frequency for that metal? I haven't been able to find a correlation between a physical property and the size of the threshold frequency myself; maybe I haven't looked hard enough, or maybe I've misunderstood something.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
By "threshold frequency" do you mean "work function" as in photoelectric effect? In that case, it's the ionization energy/electron affinity/all that stuff based on the "physical property" of charge shielding etc.
 
  • #3
Einstein Mcfly said:
By "threshold frequency" do you mean "work function" as in photoelectric effect? In that case, it's the ionization energy/electron affinity/all that stuff based on the "physical property" of charge shielding etc.

Thank you for answering. Yes, that is what I mean. Do you know where I can find an article describing how those properties affect the work function? I am finishing a project on quantum mechanics, and this is the only part I need.
 
  • #4
Well, like I said, it's got a lot to do with the ionization energy and/or electron affinity of the metal. If you think about what you learned in your chemistry classes, ionization energy is the amount of energy needed to remove an electron from the highest occupied orbital. In the photoelectric effect experiment, you're striking a metal with a photon (of a certain energy) and removing its electron. So, if you look up these three things (I'd say start with wikipedia) it should start to make sense.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Work_function
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electron_affinity
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ionization_energy
 
  • #5
This is a backwards question.
The physical properties of the material are due to the bonding properties and so forth of the constituent atoms, which in turn is a quantum-mechanical property. The work function is also a quantum mechanical property and related to the bonding etc, but apart from that observation there's no simple relationship between these things.
 
  • #6
Okay. Thank you both for answering. You have given me something to think about.
 

Related to Physical properties & threshold frequency

1. What are physical properties?

Physical properties are characteristics of a substance that can be observed or measured without causing any chemical changes. These properties include characteristics such as mass, volume, density, color, and state of matter.

2. How are physical properties different from chemical properties?

Physical properties are different from chemical properties because they do not involve any changes in the chemical composition of a substance. Chemical properties, on the other hand, describe how a substance reacts with other substances and can result in a change in its chemical composition.

3. What is the importance of understanding physical properties?

Understanding physical properties is important in many fields of science, as it allows scientists to identify and classify different substances, predict how they will behave under certain conditions, and develop new materials and technologies.

4. What is threshold frequency?

Threshold frequency is the minimum frequency of light that is needed to cause the ejection of an electron from a metal surface. This phenomenon, known as the photoelectric effect, was discovered by Albert Einstein and is an important concept in quantum mechanics.

5. How does threshold frequency affect the photoelectric effect?

The higher the frequency of light above the threshold frequency, the greater the energy of the ejected electrons. However, increasing the intensity of the light has no effect on the kinetic energy of the ejected electrons. This is a key principle of the photoelectric effect and helped scientists better understand the nature of light and matter.

Similar threads

Replies
78
Views
3K
Replies
4
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
2
Replies
36
Views
2K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
16
Views
1K
  • Quantum Physics
Replies
4
Views
18K
Replies
17
Views
2K
  • Introductory Physics Homework Help
2
Replies
35
Views
1K
Replies
1
Views
685
Replies
77
Views
1K
Replies
5
Views
2K
Back
Top