Problems using photon's energy to calculate electron's velocity

In summary, the problem involves finding the velocity of the fastest electron ejected from a surface when illuminated by light with a photon energy of 5.8 eV and a work function of tungsten of 4.5 eV. The formula used is KEmax = hf - work function, where KE is .5mv^2 and E = hf. The rest energy of the electron can be used to find the speed using the equation \frac {v^2}{c^2} = \frac {2 \times 1.3 eV}{m c^2}. The units for mass and electron are given, but it is necessary to understand the conversions between eV and kg m^2/s^2 or Me
  • #1
mgeoghe2
2
0
ive got this problem in which i am given:
the work function of tungsten = 4.5 eV
light with photon energy 5.8 eV illuminates surface

and i need to figure out what the velocity of the fastest electron ejected from the surface is.

so i see work function and 'fastest' and i think, ok KEmax = hf - work function. and KE is just .5mv^2. the problems i run into are these:
where do i get f? or hf?
i see that E = hf , so i think, ok i will use 5.8 -4.5 = KEmax. but then i run into another problem.
which mass do i use? i got really screwed up with the units... i can use 9.109e-31 kg but i don't know if and eV is kg m^2/s^2. i am also given the mass of an electron as .511 MeV/c^2 but i don't really understand what that means. is it .511e6 or .511e6/(3e8)^2??
if you have any insightful comments, i would be very grateful.
 
Physics news on Phys.org
  • #2
Since you know the rest energy of electron you can find the speed from

[tex]\frac {v^2}{c^2} = \frac {2 \times 1.3 eV}{m c^2}[/tex]
 

FAQ: Problems using photon's energy to calculate electron's velocity

Can photon energy be used to calculate the velocity of an electron?

Yes, the energy of a photon can be used to calculate the velocity of an electron through the use of the energy-momentum relation, which states that the energy of a particle is equal to its momentum multiplied by the speed of light.

How do you calculate the velocity of an electron using photon energy?

The velocity of an electron can be calculated by dividing the energy of the photon by the mass of the electron and then taking the square root of the result. This calculation is based on the equation E=mc^2, where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light.

What is the relationship between photon energy and electron velocity?

The relationship between photon energy and electron velocity is described by the energy-momentum relation, which states that the energy of a particle is directly proportional to its momentum and inversely proportional to the speed of light. This means that as the energy of a photon increases, the velocity of the electron also increases.

Can you calculate the velocity of an electron using the energy of multiple photons?

Yes, the velocity of an electron can be calculated using the energy of multiple photons by summing the energies of each individual photon and then dividing by the mass of the electron. This will result in a more accurate velocity calculation compared to using the energy of a single photon.

Are there any limitations to using photon energy to calculate electron velocity?

One limitation to using photon energy to calculate electron velocity is that it assumes a direct conversion between energy and momentum, which may not always be accurate. Additionally, this calculation does not take into account other factors that may affect the velocity of an electron, such as external forces or interactions with other particles.

Back
Top