Question

Do all the electrons that absorb a photon come out as photoelectrons?

Answer 1

The photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons (called photo-electrons when light strikes a surface. To escape from the surface, the electron must absorb enough energy from the incident radiation to overcome the attraction of positive ions in the material of the surface.

The photoelectric effect is based on the principle of conservation of energy.

1. Two conducting electrodes, the anode (Q) and cathode (P) are enclosed in an evacuated glass tube as shown on next page.

2. The battery or other source of potential difference creates an electric field in the direction from anode to cathode.

3. Light of a certain wavelength or frequency falling on the surface of the cathode causes a current in the external circuit called photoelectric current.

4. As the potential difference increases, photoelectric current also increases till saturation is reached.

5. When polarity of the battery is reversed (i.e., plate Q is at negative potential w.r.t. plate P) electrons start moving back towards the cathode.

6. At a particular negative potential of plate Q, no electron will reach the plate Q and the current will become zero. This negative potential is called stopping potential denoted by V₀. Maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons in terms of stopping potential  will therefore be K_max = (|V₀|) eV

So we conclude that in the photoelectric effect, we can observe that most electrons get scattered into the metal by absorbing a photon.

Therefore, all the electrons that absorb a photon don't come out as photoelectron. Only a few come out of metal whose energy becomes greater than the work function of the metal.