Work Function

[Sofia Cerpa 2E]

hello,

while reviewing, I couldn't remember what the work function represented in the photoelectric effect equation. could someone briefly explain it, please?

thank you :)

[Shria G 2D]

Hi,
The work function is the minimum energy needed to eject an electron from the metal surface.

[carrie_karchmer_3D]

The work function is the minimum energy required to remove an electron from a substance.

[Michelle_Duong_3H]

Hello,

The work function is the minimum energy needed for the incident light to remove an electron from a metal surface. The work function is also known as the threshold energy. This illustrates the conservation of energy, as the energy of the incoming photon = the energy needed to remove an electron + excess energy (kinetic energy of the ejected electrons).

Hope this helps!

[Shannon Clark 1F]

The work function is the threshold energy! It is the minimum energy required to eject an electron from metal.

[Ashley Wilson 2L]

The work function represents the amount of energy needed to eject an electron from a metal surface. When the energy of the incoming photon equals the threshold energy, or work function, the electron is ejected with negligible kinetic energy.

[Esther Kim]

The work function is the minimum energy required to eject an electron!

[Arjun_Anumula_3E]

Work function is just the energy required for an electron to be ejected from the metal by a photon. The overall equation is Photon Energy (hv) - Work Function = Kinetic Energy of electron (0.5mv^2)

[Raizel Ferrer 1H]

THe work function is the threshold energy needed to be met in order to eject the electron. The intensity if proportional to the number of protons where the energy of photon - work function = the kinetic energy of electrons. (hv - work function = 1/2mv^2).

[Rachel Bartley 2B]

The work function is the minimum energy needed to eject an electron. It's given in units of J.

[Violet Mbela 2B]

Hi, the work function is the minimum amount of work needed to remove an electron.

[Mia Orr 3B]

The work function represents the threshold energy, or the minimum amount of energy needed to eject an electron.

[Jayden Tan 2L]

Hi!!

The work function represents the minimum amount of energy required for a photon to eject an electron. If the amount of energy does not reach the work function or the threshold energy, then there would be no KE! Hope this helps!

[505734174]

Hello! The work function represents the minimum amount of energy needed to eject an electron from the surface of a metal.

[AJackman]

Follow up: is the work function the slope of some graph having to do with the photoelectric effect? I know that's vague, I was just unsure because there was something about it on the final and I could recall reading anything like that.

[Travis Wang 2G]

Follow up: is the work function the slope of some graph having to do with the photoelectric effect? I know that's vague, I was just unsure because there was something about it on the final and I could recall reading anything like that.

The relationship here is proportional and linear. Khan Academy's article on the photoelectric effect shows a graph on that question and works out the math behind it. The key relationship is KE = hv - Φ. Basically, as long as hv is greater than the work function, any straight increase to the frequency corresponds to a similar increase to the kinetic energy since the work function doesn't change.

[JasmineReyes-2K]

Hi!,
The relationship between the two is they're proportional and linear. With the work function representing the least amount of energy required to eject electrons.

[Brooklyn Burgess 3L]

Yes, ejecting electrons means removing electrons from the surface of a metal

[Ashley Fakolujo 3H]

Follow up: is the work function the slope of some graph having to do with the photoelectric effect? I know that's vague, I was just unsure because there was something about it on the final and I could recall reading anything like that.

The relationship here is proportional and linear. Khan Academy's article on the photoelectric effect shows a graph on that question and works out the math behind it. The key relationship is KE = hv - Φ. Basically, as long as hv is greater than the work function, any straight increase to the frequency corresponds to a similar increase to the kinetic energy since the work function doesn't change.

I was confused on this question as well, but this explanation definitely clears it up. Thank you

[Brandon Yu]

the work function is the energy to remove an electron