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Why do electrons in the photoelectric effect move towards the direction of where the photons came?

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Final answer:

Electrons in the photoelectric effect move towards the direction of where the photons came due to the particle nature of light. When a photon with energy greater than the threshold frequency strikes a metal surface, it transfers its energy to an electron, allowing it to overcome the binding forces and escape from the metal.

Step-by-step explanation:

The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon in which electrons are ejected from a metal surface when it is illuminated with light. The movement of electrons towards the direction of where the photons came can be explained by the particle nature of light.

According to Albert Einstein's hypothesis, light is composed of particles called photons, and each photon carries a certain amount of energy. When a photon with energy greater than the threshold frequency strikes the metal surface, it transfers its energy to an electron, allowing it to overcome the binding forces and escape from the metal. The ejected electron then moves in the direction opposite to that of the incoming photon.

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