1 answer
(click or scroll down)
Explain Bot The stopping voltage and saturation current are terms commonly used in relation to the photoelectric effect, which describes the emission of electrons from a material when it is exposed to light.
The stopping voltage refers to the minimum voltage needed to stop any current from flowing in a photoelectric experiment. It is the voltage at which the kinetic energy of the emitted electrons is completely counteracted by the electric potential energy they gain while moving towards the positive electrode. Essentially, the stopping voltage indicates the energy required to halt the motion of the photoelectrons.
To measure the stopping voltage in an experiment, you would gradually increase the voltage applied to the electrode until the current becomes zero. This zero current corresponds to the stopping voltage.
On the other hand, the saturation current refers to the maximum current that can be reached in a photoelectric experiment under certain conditions. It is the current observed when a sufficiently high voltage is applied and all the available photoelectrons are being emitted and collected by the electrodes.
To measure the saturation current in an experiment, you would gradually increase the intensity of the light, ensuring that the frequency remains constant. As the light intensity increases, the number of emitted electrons also increases until it reaches a point where all available electrons are already emitted, resulting in a constant saturation current.
In summary, the stopping voltage represents the voltage required to stop the motion of photoelectrons, while the saturation current represents the maximum current that can be achieved when all available photoelectrons are emitted.