Final answer:
The concept of a work function is not explained by the classical wave model but by quantum mechanics, making the true or false statement 'false'. The work function refers to the minimum energy required to remove an electron from a metal surface.
Step-by-step explanation:
The concept of a work function, also referred to as binding energy, cannot be explained by the classical wave model. This concept is instead a part of the quantum mechanical description of matter. In the classical wave model, energy is thought to be a continuous quantity that can have any value, but the quantum mechanical model introduced the idea that energy can only be absorbed or emitted in discrete quantities called quanta. The work function is the minimum energy needed to remove an electron from a metal surface, which is inherently a quantum phenomenon because it deals with discrete energy values that electrons require to overcome the metal's potential barrier.
Work function is specifically tied to the quantum mechanical model, which differs fundamentally from the classical wave model of physics. Thus, the answer to the question is false: the concept of a work function is not permissible under the classical wave model as it requires the understanding of quantum mechanics.