What is Photoelectric Effect?

About Photoelectric Effect:

• It is a phenomenon where electrons are emitted from a material’s surface when it is exposed to light of sufficient frequency.
  • When light photons hit the surface of a material, usually a metal, they transfer their energy to the electrons. If this energy is sufficient, the electrons are emitted from the material.
  • The energy must be greater than the electron’s binding energy, known as the work function, for the electron to be ejected from the material’s surface.
  • The excess energy from the photon, after overcoming the work function, is converted into the kinetic energy of the ejected electron.
• A material that can exhibit this phenomenon is said to be photo emissive, and the ejected electrons are called photoelectrons.
• The effect was discovered in 1887 by the German physicist Heinrich Rudolf Hertz. 
• The photoelectric effect is pivotal in understanding the quantum nature of light, as it reveals that light possesses both wave-like and particle-like properties.
• This duality is a cornerstone of quantum mechanics, illustrating how light can exhibit behaviors characteristic of both waves and discrete particles.
• The discovery and understanding of the photoelectric effect have profound implications in various scientific and technological fields, including the development of photovoltaic cells and advanced imaging technologies. 

Q1: What is a photovoltaic cell?

A photovoltaic (PV) cell, commonly called a solar cell, is a non mechanical device that converts sunlight directly into electricity. Some PV cells can convert artificial light into electricity.

Source: Superfast studies of photoelectric effect reveal the secrets of matter