Question

The photoelectric effect describes when light shines on a piece of metal, and the metal releases electrons. Which characteristic of light behavior best helps explain this effect?

Light carries particles called photons.
Light moves as waves.
Light has an electric field and a magnetic field.
Light has waves with different frequencies.

Answer 1

The characteristic of light behavior that best helps explain the photoelectric effect is that light carries particles called photons. When the photons of light strike the metal surface, they transfer their energy to the electrons in the metal, and if the energy of the photons is high enough, they can cause electrons to be emitted from the metal surface. This phenomenon is known as the photoelectric effect, and it was first explained by Albert Einstein in 1905.

Answer 2

a. Light carries particles called photons.

The photoelectric effect can be explained by the particle nature of light, where light is considered to be composed of individual particles called photons. When a photon is absorbed by a metal atom, it transfers its energy to an electron, which can then be emitted from the metal as a photoelectron. This effect can only occur if the energy of the photon is greater than the work function of the metal (the minimum amount of energy required to remove an electron from the metal). The frequency of the light is directly proportional to the energy of the photons, so higher frequency light (shorter wavelength) is required to eject electrons from the metal surface.