Dual Nature of

11 Radiation and Matter

11.2 Electron Emission 11.6 Einstein’s Photoelectric Equation : Energy
11.3 Photoelectric Effect Quantum of Radiation

11.4 Experimental Study of Photoelectric Effect 11.7 Particle Nature of Light : The Photon

11.5 Photoelectric Effect and Wave Theory of 11.8 Wave Nature of Matter
Light 11.9 Davisson and Germer Experiment

Topicwise Analysis of Last 10 Years’ CBSE Board Questions (2016-2007)

VSA SA I SA II VBQ LA

10

8
Number of questions

0
11.2 11.3 11.4 11.5 11.6 11.7 11.8 11.9
Topic

8 Maximum weightage is of Experimental study of 8 Maximum SA II type questions were asked from
Photoelectric Effect Experimental study of Photoelectric Effect
8 Maximum VSA type questions were asked from 8 No VBQ type questions were asked till now
Wave Nature of Matter

KEY POINTS
8 Electron emission : The phenomenon of denoted by f0 or W0 and measured in electron
emission of electrons from the surface of a volt (eV).
metal. The minimum energy needed by an hc
Work function =W h= u0
electron to come out from a metal surface is l0
known as “work function” of the metal. It is
 The electron emission can be obtained from the becomes zero is known as stopping potential or
following physical processes : cut off potential. It is denoted by V0. If e is the
X Thermionic emission : It is the phenomenon charge on the photoelectron, then
of emission of electrons from the metal surface 1 2
when heated suitably. = eV
K max = 0 mv
2 max
X Photoelectric emission : It is the phenomenon where m is the mass of photoelectron and
of emission of electrons from the surface vmax is the maximum velocity of emitted
of metal when light radiations of suitable photoelectrons.
frequency fall on it. – Variation of stopping potential V0 with
X Field emission or cold cathode emission : It is frequency u of incident radiation :
the phenomenon of emission of electrons from
the surface of a metal under the application of a
strong electric field.
8 Photoelectric effect : It is the phenomenon of
emission of electrons from the surface of metals,
when light radiations of suitable frequency fall
on them.
X Laws of photoelectric emission : The laws of
photoelectric effect are as follows : – Variation of photocurrent with collector
– For a given metal and frequency of incident plate potential for different intensity of
radiation, the number of photoelectrons incident radiation :
ejected per second is directly proportional
to the intensity of the incident light.
– For a given metal, there exists a certain Photocurrent I3 > I 2 > I 1
minimum frequency of the incident I3
I2
radiation below which no emission of I1
photoelectrons takes place. This frequency Stopping Saturation
potential current
is known as threshold frequency.
– Above the threshold frequency, the –V0 O
maximum kinetic energy of the emitted Retarding Collector plate
photoelectron is independent of the potential potential
intensity of incident light but depends only – Variation of photocurrent with collector
upon the frequency (or wavelength) of the plate potential for different frequencies of
incident light. incident radiation :
– The photoelectric emission is an
instantaneous process. The time lag between
the incidence of radiation and emission
of photoelectrons is very small, less than
10–9 second.
X Photoelectric current :
Photoelectric current
Photoelectric

depends on the intensity

current

of incident light and

the potential difference
applied between the two Intensity of light 8 Einstein’s photoelectric equation : If a light
electrodes. of frequency u is incident on a photosensitive
X Stopping potential : The minimum negative material having work function (f0), then
potential given to anode plate w.r.t. to cathode maximum kinetic energy of the emitted electron
plate at which the photoelectric current is given as
 Kmax = hu – f0 X Number of photons emitted per second of
For u > u0 frequency u from a lamp of power P is
or eV0 = hu – f0 = hu – hu0 P Pl
=
n =
1 1  hu hc
or=
eV0 K=
max hc  − .
 l l 0  8 de Broglie waves (Matter waves) : Radiation
has dual nature, wave and particle. The
where u0 = threshold frequency nature of experiment determines whether a
l0 = threshold wavelength wave or a particle description is best suited
l = incident wavelength for understanding the experimental result.
Einstein’s photoelectric equation is in Reasoning that radiation and matter should be
accordance with the law of conservation of symmetrical in nature, Louis Victor de Broglie
energy. attributed a wave like character to matter
8 Dual nature of radiation : Wave theory (material particles). The waves associated with
of electromagnetic radiation explains the the moving material particles are known as
matter waves or de Broglie waves.
phenomenon of interference, diffraction and
X de Broglie wavelength : The de Broglie
polarisation. On the other hand, photoelectric
wavelength associated with a moving particle is
effect is supported by particle nature of light.
related to its momentum as
Hence, we assume dual nature of light. h h
de Broglie wavelength, l = =
8 The photons : These are the packets of energy p mv
(or energy particles) which are emitted by a
where m is the mass of the particle, v is the
source of radiation. The photons emitted from velocity of the particle, p is the momentum of
a source, travel through space with the same the particle.
speed c (equal to the speed of light). – de Broglie wavelength is independent of the
hc charge and nature of the material particle.
X Energy of a photon =
E h=
u
l – In terms of kinetic energy K, de Broglie
where, u = frequency, l = wavelength h
wavelength is given by l = .
h = Planck’s constant, c = speed of the light 2mK
X Momentum of photon is – If a particle of charge q is accelerated through
E hu a potential difference V, its de Broglie
p= = h
c c wavelength is given by l = .
2mqV
X The rest mass of photon is zero.
1/2
E hu 150 
=
The moving mass m of photon is m = . For an electron, l = Å .
 V 
X
c2 c2
X All photons of light of a particular frequency – For a gas molecule of mass m at temperature
or wavelength l have the same energy T kelvin, its de Broglie wavelength is given
 hc   hu h  h
E= h=u  and momentum p=  = , by l = , where k is the Boltzmann
 l  c l 3mkT
whatever be the intensity of radiation. constant.
X Photon energy is independent of intensity of 8 Davisson and Germer experiment : Davisson
radiation. and Germer performed an experiment to study
X Photons are not deflected by electric and the wave nature of electrons as suggested by de
magnetic fields. Broglie.
X In a photon-particle collision (such as photon- According this experiment the de-Broglie wave
electron collision), the total energy and total 1.227
length l = nm
momentum are conserved. V