Photoelectric Effect: Green vs Indigo Light

[AlchemistK]

Homework Statement

A surface ejects electrons when hit by green light but not when hit by yellow light. Will the number of photoelectrons ejected be changed if the surface is hit by indigo light?

A) yes B) No C) yes, if the indigo light is quite intense

Homework Equations

E = hv (h is plank's constant and v is frequency of photon)

The Attempt at a Solution

I know only one photon is necessary for ejection of a photo electron if it has energy more than the work function, so if the electrons are removed by green light, they must be removed by indigo light as well, but can the number of electrons released increase, supposing that indigo light can further eject electrons of deeper shells?

 

[zhermes]

Think about the collision of a single photon of light, with a single electron on the surface. What happens when the energy is smaller than the work function? The same as the work function? Greater than the work function?---In this case, what happens to the excess energy?

 

[AlchemistK]

I know that if the energy of the photon is equal to or more than the work function, the electron will be released and the excess energy, if any, will be converted into the kinetic energy of the electron.

But imagine this situation, a metal plate, supposedly containing more than two shells of electrons, and a beam of green light incident on it is able to release the electrons.
If instead of the green light an intense indigo light is shone on the plate, can it relese more electrons than the green light?

 

[zhermes]

I was going somewhere with my questions... You are right about the single photon case. Remember that the biggest lesson learned from the photoelectric effect is that it requires thinking about it in terms of single quanta of light (photons), even if they're from a laser beam.

 

[Borek]

Question doesn't say anything about intensity of the light, which makes it ambiguous. I guess we are to assume in each case number of photons is identical, but it should be spelled out.