What is the effect of increasing the work function of a metal on the photoelectric effect?
Practice Questions
1 question
Q1
What is the effect of increasing the work function of a metal on the photoelectric effect?
More electrons are emitted
Fewer electrons are emitted
The frequency of light must be increased
Both B and C are correct
Increasing the work function means that a higher frequency of light is required to emit electrons, resulting in fewer electrons being emitted for a given frequency of light.
Questions & Step-by-step Solutions
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Q
Q: What is the effect of increasing the work function of a metal on the photoelectric effect?
Solution: Increasing the work function means that a higher frequency of light is required to emit electrons, resulting in fewer electrons being emitted for a given frequency of light.
Steps: 7
Step 1: Understand what the work function is. The work function is the minimum energy needed to remove an electron from a metal.
Step 2: Know that light can provide energy to electrons. When light hits a metal, it can give energy to the electrons.
Step 3: Realize that different colors (frequencies) of light have different energies. Higher frequency light has more energy.
Step 4: If the work function increases, it means that more energy is needed to remove an electron.
Step 5: Since more energy is needed, only light with a higher frequency (more energy) can emit electrons.
Step 6: If you use light with a lower frequency (less energy), fewer or no electrons will be emitted because they don't have enough energy to overcome the increased work function.
Step 7: Therefore, increasing the work function results in fewer electrons being emitted for a given frequency of light.
