Photoelectric effect video

[Grace_Stevenson_1A]

I was watching the video module for the photoelectric effect and it mentioned how increasing the intensity did not cause electrons to be released from the metal..why is that? Why does shortening the wavelength release electrons. isn't the relationship between intensity and wavelength an inverse relationship? thank you! :)))

[Emily Steele 4J]

It is because the light is not acting as a wave it is acting as individual photons. So in this case the individual photons of the longer wavelength light do not have enough energy on their own to release the electrons no matter the intensity of the light. Only shorter wavelength photons have enough energy to release the electrons.

[Grace_Stevenson_1A]

Thank you!

[Rachel_Harland_3I]

Adding on to the previous reply, a shorter wavelength means a higher frequency which is directly proportional to energy. So that's why the shorter wavelengths= more energy... just in case you wanted to look at energy levels in terms of frequency rather than wavelength.