The Einstein relation for the photoelectric effect explains the connection between the energy of incident light and the kinetic energy of emitted electrons.
It states that:
- The energy of a photon is used in two ways:
- To overcome the work function of the material (the energy needed for an electron to escape).
- The remaining energy becomes the kinetic energy of the emitted electron.
In simple terms:
Photon energy = Work function + Kinetic energy of electron
Key points:
- This relation shows that electron emission depends on photon energy, not light intensity.
- It was a critical result in demonstrating the particle nature of light.
- Using this relation, one can measure photon energy or determine the work function of a material.