PHET Interactive Simulations: Photoelectric Effect

Topics

Light
Quantum Mechanics
Photons

Description

See how light knocks electrons off a metal target, and recreate the experiment that spawned the field of quantum mechanics.

Sample Learning Goals

Visualize and describe the photoelectric effect experiment.
Correctly predict the results of experiments of the photoelectric effect: e.g. how changing the intensity of light will affect the current and the energy of electrons, how changing the wavelength of light will affect the current and the energy of electrons, how changing the voltage of light will affect the current and the energy of electrons, how changing the material of the target will affect the current and the energy of electrons.
Describe how these results lead to the photon model of light: e.g. argue that only a photon model of light can explain why, when light is shining on the metal but there is no current, increasing the frequency will lead to a current, but increasing the intensity of light or the voltage between the plates will not.