3-Photoelectric Effect

University of Engineering Technology
Sawa
Department of Medical Physics
Private And Radiotherapy
University Atomic Physics Laboratory
Experiment )3(
Determination of Plank's constant and work
function of a metal using Photoelectric Effect
1.Objective:
(A): Determination of Planck Constant
(B): Determination of Work function of a metal
2.Apparatus:
Photoelectric equipment shown in Fig (1), filters of different colors.
Fig.(1) Planck's constant measuring instrument
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Atomic Physics Lab 3rd Experiment
1.Vacuum Phototube. The sensitive component.

2. The removable forepart is used to install the color filters and a focus lens fixed
in the back end.
3. A scale of 40 cm in length. The center of the vacuum phototube is used as the
zero point.
4. Color filter Set. Five pieces
5. Light Source, 12V/35W halogen tungsten lamp.
6. To move the light source to adjust the distance between the light Source and
the vacuum phototube.
7. Digital meter, shows Current (  A ) of Voltage (V).
8. Display mode switch. For switching the display between voltage and current.
9. Current Multiplier.
10. Switch to adjust the appropriate intensity of incident light.
11. Accelerate voltage adjustor. Knob for adjusting accelerate voltage.
12. Voltage direction switch. Switch for choosing stopping potential.
13. Power switch.
14. Power indicator.
3.Basic theory
The phenomenon of emission of electrons from the metal surface exposed to the
light of suitable frequency is known as the photoelectric emission/photoelectric
effect. The electrons emitted in this process are known as photoelectrons, and the
current constituted by these electrons is known as photoelectric current. The basic
experimental set up explaining the photoelectric effect is given in Fig.(2).
2
Fig. (2) Photocell shows the photoelectric effect.
the emission process depends strongly on the frequency of radiation. For each
metal, a critical frequency exists such that light of lower frequency cannot eject
electrons. The emission of electrons occurs within a very short time interval after
the arrival of the radiation. The number of electrons is directly proportional to the
intensity of this radiation.
The experimental results obtained from this experiment are among the most
substantial evidence which prove that the electromagnetic radiation is quantized,
and each quanta consisting of packets of energy, E = h where  is the frequency
of the radiation and h is Planck's constant. these quanta are called photons.
Further, it is assumed that electrons are bound inside the metal surface. The
minimum energy required to eject the electrons from the metal surface is known
as the work function ( W ) of the metal. The work function can be expressed in
terms of radiation frequency as:
W = ho ….1
where is the h Planck's constant and  o is the threshold frequency (minimum

frequency for photoelectric effect). It then follows that if the frequency ( v ) of the
3
light (photon) is such that h  ho , it will be possible to eject photoelectron, while
if h  ho , it would be impossible. In the former case, h  ho , the excess energy
of light will appear as the kinetic energy of the ejected electron. According to
Einstein, the photoelectric equation must obey the following equation:
h = KE + W ….2
Where, h is the energy of the incident photon, KE is the kinetic energy of the
ejected electron (photoelectron), and W is the work function of the given metal.
We can apply an inverse potential to stop the flow of these photoelectrons
completely, which is known as the stopping potential, VS . The maximum kinetic
energy of the photoelectron is equal to the charge of the electron (e) times the
stopping potential, i.e., KE = eVS and the Eq. (2) can be written as:
h = eVS + W ….3
Further rearranging Eq.(3) we obtain the expression for stopping potential:

h W
VS =  − ….4
e e
The above equation represents a straight line. So, when we plot a graph VS as a
function of frequency (  ), the slope of the straight line will be slope = h e and
the intercept of the extrapolated point at  = 0 gives the work function of the
given Metal. Further, the value of Planck's constant can be established from the
obtained slope.
4.Procedure
1-Fix the distance between the light source and the photodiode chamber to 25cm
as shown in Fig (1) (3 and 6).
2-Turn On the light source by pressing the power switch (13).
3-Allow the light source and the apparatus to warm up for 10 minutes.
4
4-Insert the red color filter (635nm) in port (2) and the display mode switch (8)
is set on the current display.
5-Set the voltage direction switch (12) to -, then when you increase the voltage
the current on display will decrease, continue decreasing the current until it
reaches zero.
6-Record the voltage at which the current became zero, which represent the
stoppage voltage ( VS ) of the 635nm light.
7-Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 for the other color filters with different wavelengths and
measure the corresponding stopping potential.
8-Arrange your reading as in the table below, you can calculate the frequency
using  = c  .
9-Plot a graph of Stopping potential vs Frequency.

10-Find the slope of the best-fit line through the data points on the graph.
5
5.Calculations
From the graph VS vs  we can get the value of slope and the intercept with y-
axis.
h
slope = → h = slope  e
e
VS
h= e

The work function of the metal can be found by interception on y-axis 

e=……eV.
Compare your calculated value of Planck's constant, h with the standard value of
hth = 6.626 10−34 .
| hexp − hth |
P.E = 100%
hth
Discussion
1-What are the applications of photoelectric effect?
2-According to Eq. (2) what happens to the electrons if h = W ?
3-What is the significance of work function?

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University of Engineering Technology

Fig.(1) Planck's constant measuring instrument

scan to get pdf file

1.Vacuum Phototube. The sensitive component.

Fig. (2) Photocell shows the photoelectric effect.

where is the h Planck's constant and  o is the threshold frequency (minimum

Further rearranging Eq.(3) we obtain the expression for stopping potential:

2-Turn On the light source by pressing the power switch (13).

9-Plot a graph of Stopping potential vs Frequency.

The work function of the metal can be found by interception on y-axis 

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