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Gajan1234
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Can someone explain what is stopping potenial is and can explain the formula : e × Vs. Does the v stand for voltage
Explain Photoelectric Effect: Potential, Formula & Voltage
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- Thread starter Gajan1234
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In summary: This maximum kinetic energy is equal to the leftover energy from the photon, since that's where it all came from.In summary, the photoelectric effect is a process where a photon's energy is used to free an electron and the remaining energy is given to the freed electron as kinetic energy. The stopping potential is the electric potential at which the work done by the electric field is equal to the kinetic energy of the electron. This potential is represented by eV xS, with V being the voltage difference. In introductory textbooks, the energy used to free the electron varies for each electron and the maximum kinetic energy is equal to the remaining energy from the photon.
- #2
berkeman
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Can you show us the reading you've been doing about this please? Thanks.Gajan1234 said:
- #3
Jilang
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When a photon is absorbed some of its energy is used to free the electron and what is left over is given to the freed electron as kinetic energy. The stopping potential slows the electron down and if the potential is high enough the electrons won't make it to the detector. The value of the potential at which this happens occurs when the work done by the electric field is equal to the kinetic energy. This value is eV xS, so yes V is the potential (or voltage difference).
- #4
cryora
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Jilang said:
Is that exactly true? Or is there a range of possible leftover energy transferred from the photon to the electron as kinetic, from 0 up to the entire leftover energy? I don't have the textbook with me, but in Serway's "Modern Physics", he mentions a maximum kinetic energy for the freed electron being equal to the leftover photon energy, which implies there are probably other processes which might take away said energy.
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How to describe the photoelectric effect correctly, you find in
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/sins-physics-didactics/
https://www.physicsforums.com/insights/sins-physics-didactics/
- #6
jtbell
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Jilang said:
In the (over)simplified treatment of the photoelectric effect that you commonly find in introductory textbooks like that, the "energy used to free the electron" is not the same for each electron. Crudely and simplistically speaking, think of it as reflecting how "deeply buried" the electron was in the material. A certain minimum energy is needed to free the electron, corresponding to a maximum kinetic energy after ejection.cryora said:
Related to Explain Photoelectric Effect: Potential, Formula & Voltage
1. What is the photoelectric effect?
The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from the surface of a material when it is exposed to light of a certain frequency.
2. What is the potential in relation to the photoelectric effect?
The potential in the photoelectric effect refers to the amount of energy required to remove an electron from the surface of a material. It is also known as the work function.
3. What is the formula for calculating the energy of a photon in the photoelectric effect?
The formula for calculating the energy of a photon is E = hf, where E is the energy in joules, h is Planck's constant (6.626 x 10^-34 J/s), and f is the frequency of the incident light in hertz.
4. How does voltage affect the photoelectric effect?
Voltage affects the photoelectric effect by controlling the speed at which electrons are emitted from the surface of a material. Higher voltage means higher kinetic energy for the emitted electrons.
5. What is the significance of the photoelectric effect in modern technology?
The photoelectric effect has many practical applications, such as in solar panels, photodiodes, and photomultiplier tubes. It is also the basis for understanding the dual nature of light and the concept of photons.