Question

What do we call the minimum energy that is required by an electron to leave the metal target in the photoelectric effect?Select one of the options below as your answer: A. energy function B. minimum function C. work function D. quanta E. electrical energy

Answer 1

Answer:

C. work function

Explanation:

In the photoelectric effect, the energy of the incident photon is used in part to extract the electron from the metal (and this energy is called work function) and the rest is converted into kinetic energy of the electron. In formula:

$hf = \phi +K$

where

hf is the energy of the incident photon, which is the product between h (the Planck constant) and f (the photon's frequency)

$\phi$ is the work function

K is the kinetic energy of the photoelectron as it leaves the material

Answer 2

The work function is what we call the minimum energy that is required by an electron to leave the metal target in the photoelectric effect.