3 (a) Explain what is meant by the photoelectric effect.
[3]
✅ Answer:
The photoelectric effect is the process where electrons are emitted from the surface of a metal when it is
exposed to electromagnetic radiation of a sufficiently high frequency. The energy from the radiation is
absorbed by the electrons, allowing them to overcome the forces holding them within the metal and
escape into the surrounding space.
(b) Explain what is meant by the terms:
(i) Threshold frequency [2]
✅ Answer:
The threshold frequency is the minimum frequency of incident radiation required to release electrons
from the surface of a metal. If the frequency is below this value, no electrons are emitted, regardless of
the radiation’s intensity.
(ii) Work function energy [2]
✅ Answer:
The work function energy is the minimum amount of energy needed to free an electron from the surface
of a metal. It is usually expressed in joules (J) or electronvolts (eV).
(c) Write down an equation for the photoelectric effect. [2]
✅ Answer:
The equation for the photoelectric effect is:
5 (a) State the effect that produces electrons when a clean metal surface is
illuminated with electromagnetic radiation. [1]
✅ Answer:
The photoelectric effect.
5 (b)
(i) State the threshold frequency. [1]
✅ Answer:
The threshold frequency is the minimum frequency of incident radiation needed to emit electrons from a
metal surface.
From the graph, the threshold frequency is:
5 (c) Copy the diagram above. Sketch a new graph showing the effect of using a
metal that has a higher work function energy. [2]
✅ Answer (description):
● The new graph would be parallel to the original (same slope because Planck’s constant is the
same).
● However, it would shift to the right.
● The threshold frequency would be higher because a higher work function means a higher
minimum frequency is needed.
📈 (Imagine sliding the graph right without changing its slope!)
6 (a) Explain what is meant by a photon. [1]
✅ Answer:
A photon is a packet (or quantum) of electromagnetic energy.
6 (b) Calculate the energy of a photon of red light having a wavelength of 650 nm.
[2]
✅ Solution:
The energy of a photon is given by:
7 (b) Describe an experiment to show the wave nature of electromagnetic radiation.
[6]
✅ Answer:
The double-slit experiment with light demonstrates the wave nature of electromagnetic radiation:
1. Shine a coherent light source, like a laser, onto a barrier with two closely spaced slits.
2. On a screen placed behind the slits, observe a pattern of bright and dark fringes.
3. The bright fringes occur where waves from the two slits meet in phase (constructive interference),
and dark fringes where they meet out of phase (destructive interference).
4. The spacing of the fringes depends on the wavelength of the light, the slit separation, and the
distance to the screen.
5. This interference pattern is characteristic of waves, not particles.
6. The experiment proves that light behaves as a wave under certain conditions.
8 (a) What evidence does the photoelectric effect provide about the nature of
electromagnetic radiation? [2]
✅ Answer:
The photoelectric effect shows that electromagnetic radiation has a particulate nature. It transfers energy
in discrete packets called photons, rather than as a continuous wave.
8 (b) State three observations concerning the photoelectric effect. [3]
✅ Answer:
1. Electrons are emitted only if the radiation has a frequency above a certain threshold frequency,
regardless of its intensity.
2. The number of electrons emitted increases with the intensity of the radiation.
3. The maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electrons depends on the frequency of the radiation,
not its intensity.
8 (c) Explain the photoelectric effect using Einstein’s photoelectric equation. [4]
✅ Answer:
Einstein’s photoelectric equation is:
When a photon strikes the metal surface, it transfers all its energy to an electron.
● If the photon's energy exceeds the work function, the extra energy appears as the electron's kinetic
energy.
● If the photon’s energy is less than the work function, no electrons are emitted.
8 (d) Explain the following:
(i) Doubling the intensity of incident electromagnetic radiation doubles the number of electrons
emitted from a metal surface. [3]
✅ Answer:
Doubling the intensity means more photons strike the metal surface per second. Since each photon can
release one electron, doubling the number of photons doubles the number of electrons emitted. However,
the kinetic energy of the electrons remains unchanged because it depends on the frequency of the photons,
not their number.
(ii) Increasing the frequency of the incident radiation increases the maximum kinetic energy of the
emitted electrons. [3]
✅ Answer:
9 (a) Describe a laboratory demonstration that cannot be explained by the wave
theory of light but requires an explanation involving the particulate nature of light.
[4]
✅ Answer:
A demonstration of the photoelectric effect shows that light behaves as particles.
In this experiment, ultraviolet light is shone onto a clean metal surface inside a vacuum tube.
● Electrons are emitted from the metal only if the frequency of the light is above a certain
threshold, even if the intensity is very low.
● According to wave theory, increasing intensity (energy) should eventually release electrons,
but this is not observed.
● Only the photon model, where light consists of discrete packets of energy (photons), can
explain why electrons are emitted only when the photon energy exceeds the metal’s work
function.
9 (b) For light with a wavelength of 640 nm, calculate:
(i) Its frequency [2]
✅ Answer:
We use the formula:
a) State what is meant by the photoelectric effect.
The photoelectric effect refers to the phenomenon where electrons are emitted from a metal surface
when it is illuminated by light of a sufficient frequency. The energy from the light is transferred to
the electrons, allowing them to overcome the work function of the metal and be ejected.
b) State three experimental observations associated with the photoelectric effect.
1. Emission of electrons occurs only when the frequency of the incident light is above a certain
threshold value, regardless of the intensity of the light.
2. The energy of the emitted electrons depends on the frequency of the light, not its intensity.
3. The emission of electrons is instantaneous once the threshold frequency is reached, with no
time delay.
c) The radius of an atom is approximately 2.0 × 10⁻¹⁰ m. A lamp is placed above a
metal surface and provides energy at a rate of 0.80 Wm⁻². An electron requires a
minimum energy of 5.76 × 10⁻¹⁹ J to be emitted from the metal surface. Assume that
the electron can collect energy from a circular area which has a radius equal to that
of the atom. On the basis of the wave theory, estimate the time taken for an electron
to be emitted from the metal surface. Comment on your answer.
Step-by-step solution:
1. Calculate the area of the circular region where the electron collects energy, using the
formula for the area of a circle:
