written by Jose Ignacio Fernández Palop

The EJS Photoelectric Effect model simulates the Photoelectric effect discovered by Hertz in 1887 and described theoretically by Einstein in 1905. Light of a given frequency (and energy) shines on a metal. If the frequency (energy) of the light is greater than the work function, W, of the metal, electrons are ejected and can form a current (which is shown in milliAmperes). These photoelectrons will also have a kinetic energy if the energy of the light is greater than the workfunction. they will have kinetic energy. If subjected to an electric potential the electrons can be stopped from reaching the plate and stop current from flowing in a circuit.

The EJS Photoelectric Effect model was created using the Easy Java Simulations (EJS) modeling tool.  It is distributed as a ready-to-run (compiled) Java archive.  Double clicking the ejs_qm_photoelectric.jar file will run the program if Java is installed.

• Download ejs_qm_photoelectric.jar - 1053kb Java Archive File

Last Modified July 15, 2010

The source code zip archive contains an XML representation of the EJS Photoelectric Effect Model.   Unzip this archive in your EJS workspace to compile and run this model using EJS.

• Download ejs_qm_photoelectric.zip - 346kb Compressed File

Published July 15, 2010
Last Modified July 15, 2010