Section 2: Electromagnetic Radiation and Quantum Phenomena Flashcards
What is the photoelectric effect?
With a high enough frequency shone onto a surface of a metal, it can cause the emission of electrons. Free electrons contained in the metal near the surface absorb the energy from the radiation and vibrate. With enough energy, the bonds in the metal can break and the electron can be released. This is the photoelectric effect.
What are the electrons emitted in the photoelectric effect called?
Photoelectrons
What is the threshold frequency?
The minimum frequency needed for a photoelectron to be emitted from the metal
Why are photoelectrons emitted with a variety of kinetic energies?
Because the value of maximum kinetic energy increases with the frequency of the radiation
What is the intensity of radiation?
The amount of energy per second hitting an area of the metal. - doesn’t effect the kinetic energy
What is the number of photoelectrons emitted per second proportional to?
The intensity of the radiation
What does the wave theory state?
That for a particular frequency of EM wave, the energy carried should be proportional to the intensity of the beam and should also spread evenly over the wave front
Why can’t threshold frequency be explained by wave theory?
Because wave theory suggests that each electron would gain a bit of energy from each wave front and gradually gain enough energy to leave the metal however, electrons are never emitted unless the wave is above the threshold frequency
What is the kinetic energy like of photoelectrons?
The higher the intensity of the wave the more energy it should transfer however this doesn’t happen kinetic energy is only affected by frequency not the intensity
What did Max Planck suggest?
That em waves can only be released in packets or quanta. The E of these wave packets is hf
What is the equation for the energy of one wave packet?
E = hf = hc/ lambda
What did Einstein suggest about em wave packets?
That EM waves can only exist in discrete packets that he named Photons
What do photons do?
Each photon would transfer all of its energy to one specific electron an helped to explain the photoelectric effect
How can you demonstrate the photo electric effect?
A zinc plate is attached to the top of an electroscope. The zinc plate is negatively charged and the zinc then repels the gold leaf causing it to rise up. UV light is shone onto the zinc plate. This energy causes the electrons to be lost from the zinc plate and loses its negative charge and the gold leaf falls back down
How can you explain the photoelectric effect?
When EM radiation hits the metal, it is bombarded with photons. If one of these photons collides with a free electron it will gain energy to equal hf. Before it can leave the surface of the metal it needs enough energy to to break the bonds (the work function). If the energy gained from the photon is greater than the work function it is able to escape
What is the equation that shows how much energy an electron needs to be emitted?
hf >_ work function
Fo = work function / h
Fo = threshold frequency
How can you calculate maximum kinetic energy of an electron?
Ek = hf - work function
Work function is the minimum amount of energy an electron can lose
What is the photoelectric equation?
Hf = work function - Ek
What is the maximum energy a photoelectron can have?
Ek(max) = 1/2 m x (v max)^2
M = 9.11 x 10^-31 kg
What is the photoelectric equation in terms of 1/2 m v max^2?
Hf = work function + 1/2m x v max^2
How can maximum kinetic energy be measured using the idea of stopping potential?
eVs = Ek(max)
Charge on the electron x stopping potential (volts) = maximum kinetic energy (j)
What is an electron volt?
The kinetic energy carried by an electron after it has been accelerated from rest through a pd of 1 volt
How can you convert between joules and electron volts?
1 ev = 1.6 x 10^-19 j
What are discrete energy levels in atoms?
Electrons in an atom can only exist in certain well defined energy levels
What does n=1 represent in terms of energy levels?
N=1 represents the lowest energy level an electron can be in - the ground state
How can electrons move down the energy levels?
By emitting a photon
What does it mean for an electron to be excited?
When it is in a higher energy level than the ground state