In the photoelectric effect, light (photons) ejects electrons from a material's surface, creating an electric current. The energy of each photon must exceed the material's work function for electrons to be emitted. The intensity of light affects the number of electrons emitted, while the frequency determines the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons.
Chat with our AI personalities
The photoelectric effect demonstrates the particle nature of light. In this phenomenon, light is shown to behave like a stream of particles (photons) by ejecting electrons from a material when it hits the surface.
In the photoelectric effect, light produces electrons when it strikes a material surface. The energy of the incident light is transferred to the electrons, causing them to be ejected from the material.
A mirror has no effect on the speed of light, but it has a radical effect on thevelocity of the wavefront, because it reverses the direction of the normalcomponent of the velocity.
The particle nature of light was demonstrated through experiments like the photoelectric effect and the Compton effect. In the photoelectric effect, light shining on a metal surface causes the ejection of electrons, suggesting that light is made up of photons (particles). In the Compton effect, X-rays scattering off electrons result in a shift in wavelength, supporting the idea that light behaves as particles when interacting with matter.
The main effects of an electric current are the generation of heat (thermal effect), the production of light (light effect), and the creation of a magnetic field (magnetic effect).