Blog
Save
Email
Print
ShareThe photoelectric effect is the emission of electrons from matter upon the absorption of electromagnetic radiation, such as ultraviolet radiation or x-rays.
See also:
Upon exposing a metallic surface to electromagnetic radiation that is above the threshold frequency or threshold wavelength (which is specific to the type of surface and material), the photons are absorbed and current is produced.
No electrons are emitted for radiation with a frequency below that of the threshold, as the electrons are unable to gain sufficient energy to overcome the electrostatic barrier presented by the termination of the crystalline surface. By conservation of energy, the energy of the photon is absorbed by the electron and, if sufficient, the electron can escape from the material with a finite kinetic energy.
A single photon can only eject a single electron, as the energy of one photon may only be absorbed by one electron.
The electrons that are emitted are often termed photoelectrons.
For more information about the topic Photoelectric effect, read the full article at Wikipedia.org, or see the following related articles:
Electromagnetic radiation — Electromagnetic radiation is a propagating wave in space with electric and magnetic components. These components oscillate at right angles to each ... > read more
Wave-particle duality — In physics and chemistry, wave-particle duality holds that light and matter exhibit properties of both waves and of particles. A central concept of ... > read more
Electromagnetic spectrum — The electromagnetic spectrum is the range of all possible electromagnetic radiation. Above infrared in frequency comes visible light. This is the ... > read more
Gamma ray — Gamma rays are an energetic form of electromagnetic radiation produced by radioactive decay or other nuclear or subatomic processes such as ... > read more
Spectroscopy — Spectroscopy is the study of spectra, that is, the dependence of physical quantities on frequency. Spectroscopy is often used in physical and ... > read more
Radiant energy — Radiant energy is the energy of electromagnetic waves. The term is most commonly used in the fields of radiometry, solar energy, heating and ... > read more
Recommend this page on Facebook, Twitter,
and Google +1:
Other bookmarking and sharing tools:
more 