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Question
Photoelectric effect supports quantum nature of light because
(a) there is a minimum frequency below which no photoelectrons are emitted
(b) the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons depends only on the frequency of light and not on its intensity
(c) even when the metal surface is faintly illuminated the photoelectrons leave the surface immediately
(d) electric charge of the photoelectrons is quantised
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Solution
(a) there is a minimum frequency below which no photoelectrons are emitted
(b) the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons depends only on the frequency of light and not on its intensity
(c) even when the metal surface is faintly illuminated the photoelectrons leave the surface immediately
Photoelectric effect can be explained on the basis of quantum nature of light. According to the quantum nature of light, energy in light is not uniformly spread. It is contained in packets or quanta known as photons.
Energy of a photon, E = hv, where h is Planck's constant and v is the frequency of light.
Above a particular frequency, called threshold frequency, energy of a photon is sufficient to emit an electron from the metal surface and below which, no photoelectron is emitted, as the energy of the photon is low. Hence, option (a) supports the quantum nature of light.
Now, kinetic energy of an electron,
`K = hv_0 - varphi`
Thus, kinetic energy of a photoelectron depends only on the frequency of light (or energy). This shows that if the intensity of light is increased, it only increases the number of photons and not the energy of photons. Kinetic energy of photons can be increased by increasing the frequency of light or by increasing the energy of photon, which supports E = hv and, hence, the quantum nature of light. Hence, option (b) also supports the quantum nature of light.
Photoelectrons are emitted from a metal surface even if the metal surface is faintly illuminated; it means that less photons will interact with the electrons. However, few electrons absorb energy from the incident photons and come out from the metal. This shows the quantum nature of light. Hence, (c) also supports the quantum nature of light.
Electric charge of the photoelectrons is quantised; but this statement does not support the quantum nature of light.
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