Photoelectric effect – simulation lab

Theory:

When light falls upon a surface, electrons can be emitted from the surface. This is the photoelectric effect. It
was discovered by H. Hertz in 1887, explained in terms of light photons by A. Einstein in 1905, and verified by
a series of careful experiments by R. Millikan in 1916.

In this experiment, photons from a mercury light source, a helium-neon laser, and a Helium light source will be
used to illuminate a photosensitive surface. According to the principle of energy conservation, the maximum
kinetic energy gained by the electrons must equal the energy of the incident photons minus the energy needed to
free the electrons from the surface. In symbols this relationship is

KE = hc/ - Φ,

where  is the wavelength associated with the photons and Φ is the work function. The maximum kinetic
energy can be expressed in terms of the retarding potential, i.e., in terms of the voltage needed to prevent the
collection of electrons. Using that KE = eV, where V is the retarding voltage, the above relation can be written:

V = (hc / e) (1/) - (Φ / e).

A plot of V vs. (1/) should yield a straight line with a slope given by (hc/e) and a y-intercept of (Φ/e). Using
the accepted values for c (speed of light) and e (basic unit of charge), you will obtain an estimate for Planck's
constant (h) and for the work function (Φ). c=2.998 x 108 m/s e=1.602 x 10-19 C

PRELIMINARY PREDICTION
1. Based on the theoretical discission above predict which quantity will depend on the type of the metal used in the
photoelectric cell: slope or y intercept and why.
- It would be the y-intercept because it relates to the stopping potential, since the stopping potential
would depend on the metal used in my case sodium, and because of this different metals can have
different work functions.

Since we don’t have access to the photoelectric effect apparatus, we will use a simulation to investigate the photoelectric
effect. The advantage of the simulation is that it will be able to give us more data points that our physical lab setup. The
physical lab will give 4 data points, and the simulation will give 10 data points for potassium, sodium, and cesium each.
PROCEDURE
1. ASSIGNED METAL: _SODIUM_______________
2. HERE IS THE LINK TO THE SIMULATION:
HTTPS://WWW.THEPHYSICSAVIARY.COM/PHYSICS/PROGRAMS/LABS/PH
OTOELECTRICEFFECT/
3. CLICK ON BEGIN
a. First, observe how the system operates.

i. If the plate on the right hand side doesn’t say Potassium (Sodium or Cesium if you have been assigned these
metals) click on the name until it does say Potassium/Sodium/Cesium.
ii. You can lower or raise the voltage by clicking on the red arrows on the L’Enfant Corp DC Power Supply. Set
the voltage to zero, then set the the brightness to 100 and the wavelength to 400 nm by using the Black
arrows.
iii. The 400 nm photon (green squiggly line) give enough energy to the electrons (black dots) in the Potassium
plate so that they can escape from the Potassium plate. Now increase the voltage by 0.1 V at a time. Notice
that as you increase the voltage, the electrons are slowing down. That’s because the plate on the left is
attached to the negative terminal of the power supply. As the plate become more negative it produces a larger
and large stopping force. Eventually they slow down so much, that they can’t quite make it to the left hand
plate and they return to the potassium plate. The current (flow of electrons) goes to zero. The voltage that
causes this to happen is called the stopping potential. In our example, the stopping potential will be 0.8 V.
iv. As the energy of the photons increases (wavelength decreases), it will take a greater and greater stopping
potential to turn of the current.
b. Now, set the wavelength to 200 nm and find the stopping potential. Record the data in the table on the next page.
Since this is a simulation, you only need to take one data point per wavelength.

Wavelength Stopping Potential [V]

[nm]
200 3.5
220 2.9
240 2.4
260 2.0
280 1.6
300 1.3
320 1.1
340 0.8
360 0.6
380 0.5
400 0.3

c. Make a graph of stopping potential (V) vs. (1/m-1), and include trendline data -- the slope and y-intercept.
(To get the appropriate number of significant figures, Right-Click on the trendline equation, select “Format
Trendline Label” then click “Scientific” under the “Number” category, then select 2 decimal places and
click close) Copy/Paste your completed graph here.

Photoelectric effect
4
3.5
f(x) = 1.28059477298461E-06 x − 2.92947563875681
3
stopping potential (V)

R² = 0.998946572709431
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
2000000 2500000 3000000 3500000 4000000 4500000 5000000 5500000
1/wavelength (m^-1)

d. Line of the best fit

e. Value of slope (including units): 1.2806*10^-6 m/s
f. Value of the y intercept (including units): 2.9295
g. From the value of the slope calculate Planck’s constant. (Show your calculations below)
- (1.286*10^-6)(1.602*10^-19) /2.998*10^8 = 6.843*10^-34
h. Scientific community has a following value for Plank’s constant h=6.626068 × 10-34 Js. Calculate % error of
your experimentally determined Planck’s constant. (Show your calculations below)
- % error = 6.843*10^-34 – 6.63*10^-34 * 100 = 3.21%
6.63*10^-34
i. From the value of the y-intercept calculate the value of the work function. (Show your calculations below)
- (2.9295) * (1.602*10^-19) = 4.6931 *10^-19

ANALYSIS
1. Collect data from other groups and arrange them in the table below.
Assigned metal Planck’s constant [Js] Work function [J]
Potassium 6.7*10^-34 3.7292*10^-19
Sodium 6.843*10^-34 4.6931*10^-19
Cesium 6.60785*10^-34 3.29595*10^-19
2. Compare your value of the Planck’s constant and work function to the values determined by other
groups:
a. What is the same for all groups?
o Planks constant and work function is the same for all.
b. What is different for all groups?
o The y-intercept is different for all groups.
c. Was your preliminary prediction correct? Why or why not?
- Yes, the preliminary prediction is correct since the stopping potential would depend on the
metal used in my case sodium and because of this different metals can have different work
functions which we can see in the following graph above with the potassium and the cesium.