In the photoelectric effect, photoelectrons begin leaving the surface at essentially the instant that light is introduced. If light behaved as a diffuse wave and an electron at the surface of a material could be assumed localized to roughly the area of an atom, it would take far longer. Estimate the time lag. assuming a work function of4eV, an atomic radius of approximately0.1nm,and a reasonable light intensity of0.01W/m2

Short Answer

Expert verified

The time lag of the photoelectron is 2038s.

Step by step solution

01

Given data

Work function =4eV

Radius =0.1nm

Light intensity =0.01W·m-2.

02

Formula used  

Power,P=Et

Intensity, I=PA

03

Calculate byIntensity and Power

Intensity is given by,

I=PA

Where, P is the power and A is the area.

Power can be written in the form,

P=Et

Where, t is the time and E is the energy.

Combining the above equations and substituting E=ϕ (work function) will give,

I=EtAI=ϕtA

04

Calculate the time

Therefore,

t=ϕAI=4×1.6×10-19Jπ×0.1×10-9m2×0.01W/m-2=2038s

05

Conclusion 

The time lag of the photoelectron is 2038s.

Unlock Step-by-Step Solutions & Ace Your Exams!

  • Full Textbook Solutions

    Get detailed explanations and key concepts

  • Unlimited Al creation

    Al flashcards, explanations, exams and more...

  • Ads-free access

    To over 500 millions flashcards

  • Money-back guarantee

    We refund you if you fail your exam.

Over 30 million students worldwide already upgrade their learning with Vaia!

One App. One Place for Learning.

All the tools & learning materials you need for study success - in one app.

Get started for free

Most popular questions from this chapter

A gamma-ray photon changes into a proton-antiproton pair. Ignoring momentum conservation, what must have been the wavelength of the photon (a) if the pair is stationary after creation, and (b) if each moves off at 0.6c, perpendicular to the motion of the photon? (c) Assume that these interactions occur as the photon encounters a lead plate and that a lead nucleus participates in momentum conservation. In each case, what fraction of the photon's energy must be absorbed by a lead nucleus?

A typical ionization energy - the energy needed to remove an electron—for the elements is 10 eV. Explain why the energy binding the electron to its atom can be ignored in Compton scattering involving an X-ray photon with wavelength about one-tenth of a nanometer

You are conducting a photoelectric effect experiment by shining a light of 500 nmwavelength at a piece of metal and determining the stopping potential. If, unbeknownst to you, your 500 nm source actually contained a small amount of ultraviolet light, would it throw off your results by a small amount, or by quite a bit? Explain.

As shown in Section 3.5. a lead nucleus can ensure momentum conservation in electron-positron pair pro. duction without affecting the energy balance. But roughly what is the limit on the mass of such a "detached participant"? Assume again that it acquires all the momentum of the photon, whose wavelength is 1.21×10-12 , but the energy it "steals" is less insignificant. 0.01%of the photon's energy. What is the mass of this less-detached participant?

A low-intensity beam of light is sent toward a narrow single slit. On the far side, individual flashes are seen sporadically at detectors over a broad area that is orders of magnitude wider than the slit width. What aspects of the experiment suggest a wave nature for light, and what aspects suggest a particle nature?

See all solutions

Recommended explanations on Physics Textbooks

View all explanations

What do you think about this solution?

We value your feedback to improve our textbook solutions.

Study anywhere. Anytime. Across all devices.

Sign-up for free