1.
PHOTO ELECTRIC EFFECT
(a) In 1888 Hallwach discovered photo electric
effect and experimental verification of this
event was done by Hertz.
(b) The phenomenon of emission of electrons
from metal surface by the incidence of light
photon is called photo electric effect.
(c) Emitted e- is called photo electron
(d) Current produced due Photon e¯
to emitted electron is
called photo electric
current Metal
(e) Photo electric effect
varifies quantum nature of light.
(f) Photo electric effect can not be explained by
wave theory of light
(g) Normaly photo electrons are those electrons
which are present freely at the inter molecular
places in metal.
(h) Explanation for photo electric effect was given
by Einstein. For this excellent work Einstein
was honoured by nobel prize in 1921.
(i) Photo electric effect is based on law of
conservation of energy
Important Definitions :
Threshold Frequency ( 0) :
Minimum frequency of incident photon below
which no ejection of photoelectrons from a metal
surface can take place is known as threshold
frequency for that metal. Its value is constant
for a particular metal but may be different for
different metals.
If  = Frequency of incident phtoton
& 0 = Threshold Frequency
then
(a) if  < 0 No ejection of photo electron and
therefore no Photo electric effect.
(b) if  = 0 Photo electrons are just ejected
from metal surface and in this case kinetic
energy of electron is zero.
(c) if  > 0 then photo electrons will come out
of the surface along with kinetic energy
Threshold wavelength ( 0) :
Maximum wavelength of incident photon above
which there will be no photoelectric emission from
a metal surface is known as threshold wavelength
c      K.E. of Emitted electrons 
0 = 
0 (e) Kinetic energy of emitted photo electrons
If  = wavelength of incident photon then
(a) if  < 0 then photo electric effect will take
place and ejected electron will possess
kinetic energy.
(b) if  = 0 then Photo electric effect will just
take place and kinetic energy of ejected photo
electron will be zero
(c) if  > 0 there will be no Photo electric effect.
2. WORK FUNCTION OR THRESHOLD ENERGY
()
(i) The minimum energy of incident photon below
which no ejection of photo electron from a metal
surface will take place is known as work function
of threshold energy for that metal .
hc
 = h0 = 
0
(ii) Work function is the characteristic of given
metal
(iii) If E = Energy of incident photon, then
(a) if E <  No photo electric effect will take
place
(b) if E =  photo electric effect will just take
place but KE of ejected photo electron is
zero.
(c) if E >  Photo electric effect will take
place along with possession of KE by
ejected electron
3. LAWS OF PHOTO ELECTRIC EFFECT
On the basis of experiments Lenard gave
following laws regarding photo emission.
(a) Rate of photo electron's emission does not
depend upon frequency or wavelength of light
(or photon) and in other words it does not
depend upon energy of incident light.
(b) Rate of photo electron's emission depends
upon intensity of light which incidents on
metal surface
(c) Photo electric current depends upon intensity
of light but does not depend upon frequency/
wavelength or energy.
(d) Kinetic energy of Emitted electron depends
upon frequency or wavelength of incident light.
With increasing frequency of incident light,
kinetic energy of photo electrons increases
but with increasing wavelength it decreases.
So   K.E. of Emitted electrons 
does not depend upon intensity of light.
 (f) Emission of electron from a metal surface is The energy supplied to the electrons is used in
possible only upto a certain minimum two ways :-
frequency (corresponding maximum (a) In form of work function ( ) :- To emit
wavelength) of incident photon. This minimum electron from the surface of metal
frequency is called threshold frequency and
(b) To give kinetic energy to emitted electron.
corresponding wavelength is called threshold
wavelength 3. If vmax is the maximum velocity of emitted
electrons then by law of conservation of
c
  energy :-
0
1
(g) Value of threshold frequency or threshold h = + mv2
wavelength depends upon photo sensitive 2
nature of metal. if0 : threshold frequency
(h) There is no time lag between emission of
 0 = h 0
electron and incidence of photon i.e. the
electrons are emitted out as soon as the 1
light falls on metal surface. so h = h 0 + mv2max.
2
Ex.1 The work function of silver is 5.26 × 10 –19 J. This is called Einstein's equation of photo
Calculate its threshold wavelength- electric effect.
(A) 3674 Å (B) 3467 Å
(C) 3647 Å (D) 3764 Å 4.1 Einstein’s Equation Explain Following
Concepts -
hc
Sol. Threshold wavelength = 0 = (a) With increasing frequency of light, kinetic

energy of electrons increases similarly with
6.6  10 34  3  10 8 decreasing wavelength , Kinetic energy of
= =3.764 × 10–7 m
5.26  10 19 electrons increases.
        = 3764 Å If 0 is threshold frequency then maximum
Ex.2 The work function of Na is 2.3 eV. What is kinetic energy
the maximum wavelength of light that will Emax = h - h 0
cause photo electrons to be emitted from
1
sodium?  m v 2max = h(–0)
(A) 539 mm (B) 0.539 mm 2
(C) 539 nm (D) 0.539 nm so maximum velocity of photo electrons :-
hc 2h(   0 )
Sol. The threshold wavelength 0 =  vmax =
 m
(  = h0 = hc/0) m- mass of electron.
& hc = 1.24 × 10–6 (eV) m
- frequency of incident light
6
1.24  10 0- threshold frequency
0 = m ;
2 .3 0- threshold wavelength
0 = 0.539 × 10–6 m = 539 nm  - incident wavelength
4. EINSTEINS EQUATION OF PHOTO ELECTRIC 1 1 
 E   
EFFECT max = hc   
 0
1. Einstein (1905) explained photo electric
effect on the basis of quantum theory . 1 1 1 
2. A photon striking the metal surface transfer  m v 2max = hc     
2  0
whole of its energy h to any one of the
electron present in the metal and it own (b) If   =  0 or  = 0 then v = 0
existence vanished. (c)   < 0 or  > 0  There will be no
emission of photo electrons.
 (d) When Intensity of light is increased it means 5. PHOTO ELECTRIC CURRENT
number of photons have been increased. It
does not affect energy of photons. Hence (1) When light incidents on cathode, electrons
rate of emission increases but there will be are emitted & these are attracted by anode
no change in kinetic energy of electrons. thus current flows in the circuit. It is called
With increasing number of emitted electrons, photo electric current.
value of photo electric current increases. (2) Value of photo electric current depends upon
Ex.3 Light of wavelength 4000 A0 is incident on a following parameters :-
metal whose work function is 2eV. Calculate
(a) Potential difference between electrodes.
the maximum possible kinetic energy of the
photo electrons. (b) Intensity of incident light.
(A) 3.09 eV (B) 1. 9 eV 5.1 Intensity of light (I)
(C) 1.09 eV (D) None
(a) It is the qunantity of light energy falling
Sol Energy of the incident photon = hc /  normally on a unit surface area in unit time.
Energy of the incident photon in
E
or I =
A. t
19.8  10 19
eV = = 3.09 eV W
4  1.6  10 19 where I = Intensity of light in
m2
Kinetic energy of the emitted electron hc
E = total energy incidnet = nh = n
Ek = h –  = 3.09 - 2.00 = 1.09 eV 
Ex.4 The threshold wavelength of a metal is 5800 Å. n = no. of photons
If wavelength of incident light is 4500Å, then A = C/s area
the maximum kinetic energy of t = time of exposure
photoelectrons would be-
(b) Intensity of light is proportional to saturation
(A) 0.62 eV (B) 26 eV
current
(C) 62 eV (D) 0.26 eV 1
(c) For point source of light I 
r2
hc[ 0  ]
Sol E k max = 0 1
(d) For line source of light I 
r

[5800  10 10  4500  10 10 ] where r is the distance of the point from the light
= 6.62×10–34×3×108 20
5800  4500  10 source.

= 9.9 × 10–20 J 6. STOPPING POTENTIAL

9.9  10 20 (1) When in photo electric cell (+) ve voltage on

E k max = 19 = 0.62 eV cathode and negative voltage on anode is
1.6  10
applied then with increasing potential
difference magnitude of photo electric current
2hc( 0   ) decreases.
 vmax = m 0 (2) The negative potential (V 0 ) applied to the
anode at which the current is just reduced
to zero is called the stopping potential.
(3) Potential on anode equal to greater than
stopping potential give zero current in circuit.
(4) If emitted electrons do not reach from cathode
to anode then stopping potential is given by
1
eV0 = m v 2max
2
 or Emax = eV0 (4) Stopping potential V/s frequency :
eV0 = h (0)
 eV0 = h -h 0
h(    0 )
V0 = v0
e

(5) Value of stopping potential depends upon 
frequency of incident light. tan = slope
(6) Stopping potential also depends upon nature h
of metal (or work function) = (constant for all type of metals )
e
(7) Stopping potential does not depend upon
intensity of light Intercept on x-axis = 0
(8) Example :-suppose stopping potential
= –3 Volt, then h 0
Intercept on y-axis = –
e
1
2
m v 2max = 3 eV (5) Potential V/s current : (  : constant)
If we apply -5 volt then also there will be zero Intensity
Current I3
current in the circuit but I >I >I
I2 3 2 1
I1
1
m v 2max  5 eV
2
Because stopping potential is not equal to -v0 voltage
5V which cannot be used in einstein equation.
Graphs :  Stopping potential does not depend upon
intensity of light .
(1) Kinetic energy V/s frequency :
At 0 Emax = 0
(6) Photo electric current V/s Retarding
potential :
Emax
Current

 
0  

(2) Vmax V/s     :    

At 0 Vmax = 0
Retarding potential

Ex. 5 If one photon has 25 eV energy and work

Vmax
function of material is 7 eV then value of
stopping potential will be-
(A) 32 V (B) 18 V
0  (C) 3.3 V (D) zero

(3) Saturated Current V/s Intensity : E  0 25  7

Sol V0 = = eV
e e
V0 = 18 V
Current

Intensity
 For eg :
POINTS TO REMEMBER Consider the following problem :
(1) Photo electric effect is based on the principle Case I : 2 photons both have /2 frequency
of conservation of energy.
h
So  energy of one photon =
(2) Quantum nature of radiations is verified by 2
photo electric effect. Case II : One photon having frequency 
(3) Work function depends on nature of metal & so Energy of this photon = h 
impurities present on metal surface. Conclusions :-
(A) If intensity in case 1 is higher so no. of
(4) Work function is the characteristic of matter. emitted electrons in case I will be greater.
(5) Stopping potential depends on frequency of current in case I > current in case II
incident light & the nature of cathode material.
(B) If energy of one photon is higher in case II so
(6) The velocity of electrons emitted from the kinetic energy of emitted electron will be more
surface layer is maximum. in case of II though their intensity is less
than case I
Emax 1 h1   0
(7) Emax 2 =
h 2   0 (17) One photon can emit only one electron. The
whole photo electric effect is based on this
(8) The intensity of light depends on the number simple concept.
of photons.
(18) red < violet It means incident violet ray will
(9) Frequency of untraviolet light is more than give more energy to emitted electrons than
that of red light. Hence the kinetic energy of incident red ray it means
photo electrons emitted by ultraviolet light
will be more than that of the electrons
 V0 (red) < V0 (violet)
emitted by red light.  Vmax (red) < Vmax (violet)
 Emax (red) < Emax (vilolet)
2h(   0 )
(10) max=
m
(19) Photo electric effect is based on energy
(11) Photoelectric effect was discovered by conservation law.
Hallwachs, experimentally verified by Hertz,
and successfully studied and explained by (20) If light of same frequency incidences on
Einstein. surfaces of various work function then velocity
or kinetic energy of that emitted electron will
hc  1 1  be maximum for which surface that has least
  
(12) V = e    0 

work function.

(13) Less energy is required to release the

electrons situated in the surface layer of
material where as more energy is required to
release electrons from the inner layers.

(14) One electron is emitted by one photon.

(15) Stopping potential does not depend on the

intensity of incident light.
(16) Intensity of light is related to amount of
photons and in more simplified terms it is
related to no. of photons.
But frequency of light directly indicates toward
energy of one photon.
 S O LV E D E X A M P L E S
Ex.1 Two different photons of energies, 1 eV and hc
2.5 eV, fall on two identical metal plates Sol  0 = 
having work function 0.5 eV, Then the ratio of
maximum KE of the electrons emitted from 6.6  10 34  3  10 8
the two surface is-  (0)sodium= = 6188 Å
2  1.6  10 19
(A) 1 : 2 (B) 1 : 4
(C) 2 : 1 (D) 4 : 1 1 ( 0 )sodium ( )copper
 0    (  ) =
Sol K1max = h1 –  = 1 – 0.5 = 0.5 eV 0 copper ( )sodium

K 2 max = 2.5 – 0.5 = 2.0 eV 2

 (0)copper = × 6188 = 3094 Å
4
Thus K1max : K 2 max = 0.5 : 2 = 1 : 4 To eject photo-electrons from sodium the
Ex.2 Ultraviolet light of wavelength 280 nm is used longest wavelength is 6188 Å and that for
in an experiment on photo electric effect with copper is 3094 Å. Hence for light of
lithium (  = 2.5 eV) cathode. Stopping wavelength 4000 Å, sodium is suitable.
potential will be- Ex.5 The work function for the surface of aluminium
(A) 1 .9 eV (B) 1.9 V is 4.2 eV. What will be the wavelength of
(C) 4.4 eV (D) 4.4 V that incident light for which the stopping
potential will be zero.
hc (A) 2496 Å (B) 2946 × 10-7 m
Sol The maximum kinetic energy is Kmax= –
 (C) 2649 Å (D) 2946 Å
Sol If the incident light be of threshold wavelength
1242 eV  nm
= – 2.5 eV (0), then the stopping potential shall be zero.
280 nm Thus
= 4.4 eV – 2.5 eV = 1.9 eV
Stopping potential V is given by eV = K max hc 6.6  10 34  3  10 8
0 = , 0 = ,
K max 1.9  4.2  1.6  10 19
V = = eV = 1.9 V
e e 0 = 2.946 × 10–7 m = 2946 Å
Ex.3 A monochromatic source of light operating at
Ex.6 Slope of V0 –  curve is-
200 W emits 4 x 1020 photons per second.
Find the wavelength of light. h
(A) e (B)
(A) 400 mm (B) 200 n e
(C) 4 × 10–10 Å (D) None (C) 0 (D) h
h h 0
200 So Relation between V0 – ., V0 =
–
Sol The energy of each photon = e e
4  10 20
Put it in the form of y = mx – c,
= 5 × 10–19 J
h 0
hc here V0 = y,  = x, = c
Wavelength =  = e
E h
(6.63  10 34 )  (3  10 8 )  y = e x – c
=  = 4.0 × 10-7  
5  10 19
h
= 400 nm m=
Ex.4 Which metal will be suitable for a photo e
electric cell using light of wavelength 4000A0.
The work functions of sodium and copper are
respectively 2.0 eV and 4.0 eV.
(A) sodium (B) copper
(C) Both (D) None of both
Ex.7 A radio station is transmitting waves of Ex.10 An electromagnetic radiation of frequency
wavelength 300 m, If diffracting power of 3 × 1015 cycles per second falls on a photo
transmitter is 10 kw, then numbers of electric surface whose work function is
photons diffracted per second is- 4.0 eV. Find out the maximum velocity of the
(A) 1.5 × 1035 (B) 1.5 × 1031 photo electrons emitted by the surface-
(C) 1.5 × 10 29 (D) 1.5 × 1033 (A) 13.4 × 10–19 m/s (B) 19.8 × 10-19m/s
Sol P = 10 × 103 watt (C) 1.73 × 106 m/s (D) None
n = ? Sol h = h  0 + Ek
 = 300 m 6.6 × 10-34 × 3 × 108
= 4 × 1.6 × 10–19 + Ek
nhc
P = 19.8 × 10 -19 – 6.4 × 10-19 = Ek
t
Ek = 13.4 × 10–19 J
6.62  10 34  3  10 8  n
104 = 1
300  1  mv2max = 13.4 × 10–19
2
300  10 4
n = 34 8 = 1.5 × 1031 2  13.4  10 19
6.62  10  10 vmax =
m
Ex.8 Light of wavelength 332 Å incidents on metal
2  13.4  10 19
surface (work function = 1.07 eV). To stop
emission of photo electron, retarding = = 1.73 × 106 m/s
potential required to be- 9  10 31
(A) 3.74 V (B) 2.67 V Ex.11 The wavelength of a photon is 4000 Å.
(C) 1.07 V (D) 4.81 V Calculate its energy.
Sol 0 = 1.07 eV = 1.07 × 1.6 × 10 –19 J (A) 49.5 × 10–19 J
 = 332 × 10–10 m (B) 495 × 10–19 J
(C) 4.95 × 10–19 K
hc hc 0 (D) 4.95 × 10–19 J
eV0 = – 0 = V0 = –
 e e
hc 6.6  10 34  3  10 8
Sol E = =
6.62  10 34  3  10 8 1.07  1.6  10 19  4000  10 10
V0 = -
332  10 10 e e = 4.95 × 10-19 J
V0 = 3.74 – 1.07 = 2.67 volt. Ex.12 When ultraviolet light of energy 6.2 eV
Ex.9 Light of wavelength 5000 Å falls on a sensitive incidents on a aluminimum surface, it emits
surface. If the surface has received 10–7 Joule photo electrons. If work function for aluminium
of energy, then what is the number of photons surface is 4.2 eV, then kinetic energy of
falling on the surface ? emitted electrons is-
(A) 25 × 1011 (B) 25 × 1012 (A) 3.2 × 10–19 J (B) 3.2 × 10–17 J
11 (C) 3.2 × 10 –16 J (D) 3.2 × 10–11 J
(C) 0.25 × 10 (D) 2.5 × 1011
Sol Let the energy of one photon = hc/,
 Energy of n photons E = nhc/ Sol Ek = E – 0 = 6.2 – 4.2 = 2.0 eV,
Ek = 2 × 1.6 × 10–19 = 3.2 × 10–19 J
n  6.6  10 34  3  10 8 Ex.13 Using light of wavelength 6000 Å stopping
 10-7 =
5000  10 10 potential is obtained 2.4 volt for photo electric
cell. If light of wavelength 4000 Å is used
5000  10 10  10 7 then stopping potential would be-
n = = 0.25 × 1012
19.8  10 26
(A) 2.9 V (B) 1.9 V
(C) 3.43 V (D) 9.4 V
n = 2.5 × 1011
 Ex.15 When monochromatic light of wavelength 
hc 0
Sol V0 =  , illuminates a metal surface then stopping
e e potential for photo electric current is 3V 0. If
wavelength changes to 2 then stopping
hc 0
2.4 =  ....(1) potential becomes V0 . Threshold wavelength
10
6000  10 e e for photo electric emission is-
hc 0 (A) 4 (B) 8

V0 =
4000  10 10 e e
....(2) (C) 4/3  (D) 6

Eq. (1) - Eq.(2) hc

Sol – 0 = 3V0 .....(1)
2.4 – V0 

hc  1 1  hc
=    – 0 = V0 .....(2)
e  6000  10 10 10 2
4000  10 

6.62  10 34  3  10 8  4  6  hc  1 
2.4 – V0 =  24  eq. (1) - eq.(2) : 1   = 2V0
10 71.6  10 19     2

hc hc hc
6.62  10 34  3  10 8 = 2 V0   = 4V  4 = V
V0 = 2.4 + 2 0 0
12  10 7  1.6  10 19
V0 = 2.4 + 1.03 = 3.43 V
Ex.14 When light source is placed at 1 m distant
from photo electric cell, then value of stopping
potential is obtained 4 volt. If it is placed at
4 m distant, then value of stopping potential
becomes-
(A) 2 volt (B) 1 volt
(C) 4 volt (D) 16 volt
Sol Stopping potential does not depend upon
distance from light source.