Real Life Applications of Photoelectric Effect

What is Photoelectric Effect?

Photoelectric effect is the phenomenon where light (photons) striking a material surface causes the emission of electrons, showcasing the particle nature of light.

Are photons electrons?

No, photons are not electrons. Photon are elementary particle that acts as a carrier of energy, while an electron is a subatomic particle that are responsible for electric property of any material.

What is the mass of a photon?

The photon’s rest mass is zero, which indicates that if the photon is moving, it will have some momentum, which is equivalent to mass, but at rest, the photon’s mass will be zero.

What is stopping potential?

When the lighted metal is retained at the cathode, the stopping potential is the lowest potential at which no photoelectrons reach the anode.

What is threshold frequency?

The threshold frequency of light is the frequency at which the photoelectron’s kinetic energy is zero and it is just enough to emit photoelectron. The work function of the metal is equal to the energy associated with threshold frequency.

The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from a material when it is exposed to light or electromagnetic radiation of sufficient energy. In simpler terms, it’s when light shining on a surface causes the emission of electrons from that surface.

When a metal is exposed to light, metal emits electrons from its valence shell. This is called photoelectric effect. The real life applications of photoelectric effect is used in various optoelectronic devices, in photodiodes, photovoltaic cells etc. In this article we will learn in details about various photoelectric effects.