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Chapter 34: Problem 5

Why is the immediate ejection of electrons in the photoelectric effect surprising from a classical viewpoint?

Short Answer

Expert verified
The immediate ejection of electrons in the photoelectric effect is surprising from a classical viewpoint because classical physics expects energy to be transferred gradually and the process to take some time. According to it, electrons should absorb energy bit by bit until they have enough to escape the atom. However, in photoelectric effect, electrons are ejected immediately when they absorb light of sufficient frequency, even if its intensity is very low. This undermines the classical assumption of continuous energy and gradual transfer, making it surprising.

Step by step solution

01

Understand Classical Physics View on Energy

In classical physics, it is assumed that energy is continuous and can be transferred gradually. When light (which is a kind of energy) hits a surface, it should be able to transfer its energy to the electrons gradually. The transferred energy should accumulate in the electron until it's enough to overcome the attractive forces that keep it within the atom. Only then, the electron should move away, i.e., get ejected. This ejection should not be instant but should take some time to happen.
02

Understand the Photoelectric Effect

The Photoelectric Effect experiment (conducted by Heinrich Hertz and explained by Albert Einstein) however demonstrated something different. When a light of sufficient frequency (no matter how dim) hits a metallic surface, the electrons are ejected immediately.
03

Identify and Discuss the Surprise

It's surprising from a classical viewpoint because according to the classical view, it should not matter what the frequency of the incident light is. All that should matter is its intensity or brightness, that is, the total energy of the light wave. And the energy, being continuous, should be transferred bit by bit until the electron receives enough to be set free. However, the observations of photoelectric effect, where an electron is ejected purely on the basis of light frequency and immediately without any time lag, challenges the classical notion of energy and its transfer.

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