Photoelectric Effect
... using this explanation. Ekin = h f – W Ekin ... maximal kinetic energy of an emitted electron h ..... Planck constant (6.626 x 10-34 Js) f ..... frequency W ..... work function Another way of explaining what Photoelectric Effect is, is that when lights hit a surface area, electrons are emitted. In order to explain why this happens, one must understand that lights are made up of electromagnetic waves which carries energy and that when a wave of light hits an electron on that surface an atom, if strong enough, electrons will be emitted. As you can see, scientists believe that light is more as a particle than a wave but Young in the other hand, believe that by using the Double Slit Experiment, things would look as light were a wave. If lights are consist of waves, the energy should only depend on its amplitude ; that is on the intensity of the light. Other factors, like frequency should make no difference. For example, red and ultraviolet light of the same intensity should knock out the same numbers of electrons and its maximum kinetic energy. But if the intensity is decreased, fewer electrons are being emitted. If the lights are too fainted, no electrons are emitted. If a beam of light is pointed at the negative end of a pair of charged plates, a current flow is measured. A current is simply a flow of electrons in a metal, such as a wire. Thus, the beam of ligh...