Important facts about the Photoelectric Effect for CBSE, JEE, and NEET.

Some other points

  1. Photoelectric current
    • Directly proportional to the intensity of incident light.
    • More intensity → More emitted electrons.
  2. Saturation current
    • Directly proportional to light intensity.
    • Higher intensity gives higher saturation current.
  3. Stopping potential
    • Depends on frequency.
    • Does not depend on intensity.
  4. Intensity affects
    • Number of emitted electrons.
    • Photoelectric current.
    • Saturation current.
  5. Intensity does NOT affect
    • Maximum kinetic energy.
    • Stopping potential.
  6. Frequency affects
    • Maximum kinetic energy.
    • Stopping potential.
    • Whether emission occurs.
  7. Photoelectric emission is instantaneous.
    • Time lag ≈ 10910^{-9} less.
  8. Emission occurs immediately even with very dim light, provided the frequency is above the threshold frequency.
  9. Different photosensitive materials have different sensitivities.
    • Selenium is more sensitive than zinc or copper.
  10. The same material responds differently to different wavelengths.
    • Example: Copper shows photoelectric effect with ultraviolet light but not with green or red light.
  11. Higher frequency → Higher stopping potential → Higher maximum kinetic energy.
  12. Below threshold frequency, no electrons are emitted regardless of light intensity.
  13. Above threshold frequency, increasing intensity increases only the number of photoelectrons, not their energy.

One-Line Revision

  • Intensity → Number of electrons (Current)
  • Frequency → Energy of electrons (Kinetic Energy & Stopping Potential)
  • Threshold frequency → Minimum frequency required for emission
  • Emission is instantaneous (≈ 10−910^{-9}10−9 s or less)

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