1. Select a metal from the drop-down menu.
2. Set the intensity and the wavelength of the monochromatic light source.
3. By varying the driving potential in the external circuit, find the stopping potential at which the current flow stops.
4. Repeat step 3 by varying the intensity and wavelength.
5. Calculate the work function of the selected metal from the value of stopping potential.
6. Select the metal and go through steps 3-5.

Read previous

1. Does the stopping potential depend on a) wavelength, b) intensity of the monochromatic light source?
2. Why is the monochromatic light source required?
3. What happens to the electron's kinetic energy when the stopping potential is applied?

1. http://videos.howstuffworks.com/hsw/20944-physics-the-photoelectric-effect-video.htm
2. http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/mod1.html
3. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photoelectric_effect

Light is made up of photons. The energy of each photon is given by
                             


where h is the Plank's constant and f is the frequency of photon.

When a photon strikes a metal surface, some of its energy is transferred to the electron of the metal atom. It is called a photoelctron. Some of this energy is used by the photoelectron to break away from the metal surface and the rest is converted to its kinetic energy.

                             


                             


                             


where φ is the work function characteristic to the metal and f₀ is the threshold frequency necessary for photocurrent.