AIM:

To determine the element in the periodic table which is

producing more photoelectrons .
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:
PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT is the phenomenon in
which electrons are ejected by any metal when photons hit the surface
of it.
EXPERIMENT ABOUT:

 To test which element is much suitable for the effect.

 This test is carried out by the Photoelectric Effect & an
Electroscope.
An electroscope is actually made of a gold foil inside and looks like the
one following below.
ELECTROSCOPE

We observe that;
o A metal disc is placed at the top which is
connected to a gold foil (thin layered)
through a metal piece which is useful in
transferring the charge ( electrons &
photons)

PROCEDURE:
Test for CHARGE:
o Test the electroscope for which charge is
present in the electroscope.
o For example, take a test preferable charged

body and touch it on the metal piece which

shows either a deflection or attraction
[property used: like charge-repel ; unlike charge-
attract]
o IF IT DEFLECTS, IT HAS THE

CHARGE WHICH IS TAKEN FOR

TEST AND VICE-VERSA.
o Here, we must make sure that the

electroscope is POSITIVELY
CHARGED.
 Switching on to elements:
Select the metallic elements to be placed
in the top of the container.

PRIODIC TABLE

Place the metal piece:

The metal piece (element) chosen is placed
at the top of the container which is again connected to the metal rod
which is going to discharge the charge into the gold leaf.
 MONOCHROMATIC LIGHT :

Pass a mono chromatic light (LASER) on

to the top of the metal piece which is selected and placed.

******OBSERVE FOR ALL THE GROUP OF ELEMEMTS

SELECTED********

OBSERVATION:
  When monochromatic ray is passed the
gold leaf which is positive charged both
attract each other. This implies that
negative charge has passed to it.

 The following table tells the observation:

GROUP 1 DEFLECTION ATTRACTION

H **** ****

Li - 

Na - 
K - 

Rb - 

Cs - 

Fr - 
H – is neither an metal nor a non metal . So it is not experimented

GROUP 2 DEFLECTION ATTRACTION

Be - 
Mg - 
Ca - 
Sr - 
Ba - 
Ra - 
.
GROUP17 DEFLECTION ATTRACTION
F  -
Cl  -
Br  -
I  -
At  -

 But there is a difference in the deflection of the gold leaf

when each element is placed.
 The 2nd Group elements didn’t show much attraction than
the 1st Group elements.
 The 17th Group which are NON-METALS didn’t show any
changes. The leaf remained unchanged.

REASON:
 The difference in the attraction of the gold foil is due
to some of the properties in which each element is
unique from others.
 The mass number , atomic number , size of the atomic
shell/orbit.
 This influences some properties :

1. IONIZATION ENTHALPY
 This property of
atoms actually influence the
ejection of photoelectrons in
the experiment.

This peculiar property tells that if an electron must be

taken out of the orbital in which it founds to be stable with the atom,
it must be given some amount of Energy . This makes the particular
atom ionized (+ve charged).
Commonly called the THRESHOLD FREQUENCY is the minimum
amount of energy required for this process.

The Ionization Enthalpy decreases as the radius of the electron from

the nucleus increases. As the atomic number increases it’s size increases.
This causes great Shielding Effect to the electrons at the last orbital asa
compared to the first one . So the electrons at the last orbital tend away
from the atom making it ionic.
So it requires only a less amount of energy to take the electrons out of
the orbital as it naturally by shielding effect is isolated from the atom.

Atomic number α Size of atom

Size α Shielding Effect
Shielding Effect 1/α Ionization Enthalpy (inversely proportional)
 So, while moving across the period, Atomic size decreases
which causes less shielding/screening effect which influence in a greater
ionisation enthalpy { a greater amount of energy to take out the
electrons}.

 Since 1st Group metals show a great

electropositive nature it ejects more
electrons than the 2nd Group elements.
 This implies that the 1st Group
elements have a less ionisation
enthalpy than 2nd Group.
 The 17th Group elements are more
electronegative than the 1st & 2nd
Group. So it requires more electron
than the others resulting in more
Ionization Enthalpy. Mostly these
elements doesn’t participate in this
phenomenon.
 VARIATION OF IONIZATION ENTHALPY

 And so when a mono-chromatic

ray(same frequency) is passed the
energy of the ray is much sufficient
for the first group elements to give
out an electron than the second.
 So the 1st Group elements show a
good photoelectric effect than others.

To be noted:
There is also a variation in the Group itself.
It has been found that :
1. The 1st Group elements have
less Ionization Enthalpy and
 thus producing more
electrons.

2. So while moving down the

group the atomic radii
increases and thus the
ionization energy decreases.
This makes sure that the last
element in the group 1 must
have a much higher
photoelectric effect.

Li Na K Rb Cs Fr
Be Mg Ca Sr Ba Ra
Ionisation Energy Increases

CONCLUSION:
By experimenting it is found that there is a variance in the
amount of electrons emitted according to metals considered.
 The element which produces more electrons on
photoelectric effect : CESIUM .
  This is because Cesium has the least Ionization Enthalpy
and all other characters discussed.
 Francium is not considered as it is unstable and rare to
be found in free state.

REFERANCE:
Wikipedia
NCERT-11 TEXTBOOK