The photoelectric effect simulation demonstrates: 1) Electron emission from metals requires photons with a minimum threshold frequency dependent on the metal; 2) Increasing light intensity increases the number of emitted electrons but not their speed; 3) Varying the light wavelength changes the photon energy, with higher energies above the threshold causing electron emission.

1. Photoelectric Effect - PhET simulation
Open the simulation by clicking on the link: https://phet.colorado.edu/en/simulation/legacy/photoelectric
Take a look at the explanatory video via YouTube: https://youtu.be/2RsWp9khsLs
Section 1 - How does wavelength effect electron emission?
Set up the situation as shown opposite with the metal sodium and all the graphs clicked to the ON position. Have the
light intensity on 50%.
Move the wavelength slider to the right. This is the largest wavelength. Move the slider slowly to the left until electrons
are emitted.
Note: that the photocurrent should read 0. Keep moving the slider until just as the first electron is emitted. At this
wavelength of light electrons are emitted for sodium.
1) Add this wavelength to the table below for sodium. Determine the wavelength for each of the different metals
by doing exactly the same thing as you have done for sodium and complete the table below.
metal Wavelength (nm)
Sodium 538
Zinc 287
Copper 262
Platinum 193
Calcium 425
2) Move the slider to the left beyond the point where electrons are emitted. What happens?
There are more and faster electrons.
3) Does this occur for all the other metals?
Yes, it does.
4) What is the relationship between wavelength and electron emission?
The relationship between wavelength and electron emission is indirectly proporzional: less wavelength more electron
Light is governed by the wave equation c/ f = λ where:
c = speed of light = 3.0 x108
m/s
f = light frequency (Hz)
𝛌 = wavelength (nm)
5) Deduce the threshold frequency for each metal based on the equation above and complete the table below.
metal Calculated threshold frequency (x1015
Hz)
Sodium 0,56
Zinc 1,04
Copper 1,14
Platinum 1,55
Calcium 0,71
Max Planck showed a relationship between energy and frequency which he converted to an equation of…
E = hfo
Where h = planks constant = 6.63 x 10-34
Js
E = the energy released (J)
6) If you combine the 2 formulas : c/f = λ , E = hfo , then you get
E= hxc/ λ
7) Use this formula and the values for wavelength to determine the energy present in each photon.

2. metal Energy (x10-19
J)
Sodium 3,71
Zinc 6,89
Copper 7,55
Platinum 10,3
Calcium 4,71
Section 2 - The threshold frequency is the frequency at which light causes electrons to be emitted or freed from
the metal.
Now move the slider beyond the initial wavelength to emit electrons, all the way to the far left of UV
8) Now look at the graph that is produced in the light, Click the camera on the screenabove,this will take an image
of the graph and the data. Take a copy of this image and place it opposite. From the graph the threshold frequency is
the point where the line crosses the x-axis. Now do the same for all the other metals, take a screenshot of each of the
graphs and incorporate them in the table:
Screenshot of Sodium
Screenshot of Zinc

3. Screenshot of Copper
Screenshot of Platinum
Screenshot of Calcium
9) Determine the approximate threshold frequency for all the metals from the graphs and add it to the table below.
metal threshold frequency (x1015
Hz)
Sodium 0,59
Zinc 1,08
Copper 1,14
Platinum 1,53
Calcium 0,72

4. (These values are only approximations.)
10) Compare the values from those graphs and those calculated. How do the values look?
The values look approximately the same for every metal.
The threshold frequency, fo, and is given by the formula: E = hfo
Where h = planks constant = 6.63 x 10-34
Js
E = the energy released (J)
11) Use this formula to calculate the energy required to release one electron from each of the metals using the
formula and the data you have collected. Complete the table below.
metal Energy (x10-19
J)
Sodium 3,91
Zinc 7,16
Copper 7,56
Platinum 10,2
Calcium 4,77
Note: that values may vary based on the approximation from the graphs
12) Now compare the energies above from those calculated from the wavelength in section 1. What do you notice
and what does this say about the two equations?
The two equations are directly proportional.
Section 3 - Does light intensity have an effect on electron emission?
Set the model on Sodium at wavelength 532nm; intensity 10%.
13) Note the emission of electrons then increase the intensity gradually. Describe what happens .
With more intensity there are more electrons, speed do not change.
14) Now place the wavelength on 450nm with sodium and place the intensity on 10%. Watch the photocurrent.
Increase the intensity by 10% each time and note the photocurrent in the table below.
Light Intensity (%) Photocurrent (A or microA????)
10 0,000
20 0,000
30 0,016
40 0,020
50 0,026
60 0,031
70 0,036
80 0,041
90 0,046
100 0,051
15) Based on this data what does this say about the relationship between light intensity and photocurrent?
The relationship is directly proportional.
Now move the wavelength below the threshold wavelength and move the intensity from 10% through to 100%.

5. 16) Does increasing the intensity have an effect on the photocurrent? Check with other wavelengths below the
threshold wavelength to prove this.
Yes, photocurrent is directly proportional to intensity and indirectly proportional with wavelength.
Summary
17) What is the relationship between the type of light and the generation of photocurrent?
The wavelength make the type of light and we know that wavelength and photocurrent are indirectly proportional,
but if the wavelength so the type of light is higher than the threshold frequency, the pchotocurrent will be 0.
18) What effect does light intensity have on the photocurrent?
Photocurrect is directly proportional with intensity, more intensity higher voltage.
19) What does this say about the energy contained within photons?
The energy contained within photons is transferred to electrons that are now capable to exit the metal.
20) What do we call the energy that is just enough to liberate an electron from the surface of the metal?
Like threshold frequency that is the maximum frequency where electrons can start to liberate, threshold energy is the
minimum energy required to liberate electrons.
21) If too much energy is given to an electron that is above the threshold frequency what happens to the extra
energy?
We know that E=cxh/ λ where c and h are costant, so we can deduce that E is indirectly proportional to λ, in the
simulation less λ is equal to plus velocity, so the energy extra is converted to electrons speed.