Photoelectric Effect

Photoelectric Effect Screenshot
  • Light
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Photons
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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.
Version 1.10

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro HW Physics
Conductivity: an inquiry activity (also uses other sims) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein HS
UG-Intro
Lab
CQs
HW
Chemistry
Physics
Intro to Photoelectric Effect Interactive Lecture A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins and Carl Wieman UG-Intro
UG-Adv
CQs
Demo
Physics
Understanding the Photoelectric Effect A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Sam McKagan, Kathy Perkins, and Carl Wieman UG-Adv
UG-Intro
HW Physics
Photoelectric Effect (AP) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Elyse Zimmer HS Lab Physics
Photoelectric Effect (PreAP) A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Elyse Zimmer HS Lab Physics
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Biology
Physics
Chemistry
Earth Science
Alignment of PhET sims with NGSS This contribution was designed by PhET. Trish Loeblein updated by Diana López MS
HS
Other Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Earth Science
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain HS
UG-Intro
Other Chemistry
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics Jaya Ramchandani HS Other Physics
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer HS
MS
Other Chemistry
Biology
Physics
Discovering the Photoelectric Effect Jonathan Carlson UG-Intro
HS
Lab
Guided
HW
Discuss
Physics
Photoelectric Effect Simon Lees HS HW
Lab
Guided
Physics
Introduction to the Photoelectric Effect Simulation Marvin Mndebele UG-Intro
HS
HW
Demo
Discuss
Guided
Other
Physics
Lab Photoelectric Effect Luis Largo UG-Intro
HS
Lab Physics
Photoelectric Effect Phet Worksheet (AP Physics 2) Yau-Jong Twu HS Lab
Guided
HW
Physics
Photoelectric Effect Kelly Warner HS Lab
CQs
Chemistry
Shine a Light Dean Baird, Paul G. Hewitt HS
UG-Intro
Lab Physics
Instruction set in Photoelectric Expt. Pravin Joshi UG-Intro Lab Physics
The Photoelectric Effect Kristy Bibbey UG-Intro
HS
CQs
Lab
Determination of Planck's Constant Mike Mikhaiel HS Lab Physics
Photoelectric Effect MEHMET EMIN KALE HS Lab
Interactive Photoelectric Effect Lab Bob Schaefer HS Lab Physics
Photoelectric Effect Activity Donald Collins, Dennis Robbins UG-Intro Lab Physics
Photoelectric Virtual Experiment Chee Heong Lee UG-Intro
HS
Lab
CQs
Physics
Photoelectric Effect Pauline Seales HS Lab Physics
Chemistry
photoelectric effect David Carroll UG-Intro
HS
Lab
The Photoelectric Effect and Work Functions Robert Pirrie HS Lab
The Photoelectric Effect David Carroll UG-Intro
HS
Lab
HW
Photoelectric Effect Virtual Experiment Paul Longwell HS Lab Physics
The Photoelectric Effect and Work Functions Robert Pirrie, Gary Bent HS Lab Chemistry
Photoelectric effect Jeff Bourne UG-Intro Lab
Photoelectric Effect curt miller, Donald Collins HS Lab Physics
The Photoelectric Effect Andrzej Sokolowski HS Lab Physics
Foto-elektrisch effect Loran de Vries HS Lab Physics
Fotoefekti meedialabori juhend Siim Tõkke HS Lab
HW
Physics
Menentukan Konstanta Planck Rizky Merian Muspa MS
Grad
HS
HW
Demo
Physics
Photoelectric Effect Azyyati 06 UG-Adv HW Physics
Eksperimen Simulasi Efek Fotolistrik Ishafit Jauhari HS
UG-Intro
Lab Physics
광전효과 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) HS
UG-Intro
Other
Lab
Astronomy
Physics
Chemistry
Efeito Fotoelétrico Matheus Mourão HS Guided Physics
Funçao Trabalho do Material atilla mendes evangelista HS HW Physics
Efeito Fotoelétrico e o Cálculo da Constante de Planck Denys Sales HS
Grad
MS
Demo
Discuss
Guided
Lab
Chemistry
Physics
PRÁCTICA VIRTUAL EFECTO FOTOELÉCTRICO Antonio Puebla HS Lab Chemistry
Physics

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Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Ron LeMaster (developer)
  • Sam McKagan
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Carl Wieman
  • Interviewer: Danielle Harlow