Exam-style question
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How does the photoelectric effect demonstrate the particle nature of light?.
- A.Light behaves as a wave.
- B.Electrons are emitted only above a certain frequency.
- C.Light can be diffracted.
- D.Light intensity affects electron emission.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Electrons are emitted only above a certain frequency.
Explanation
Why this works
The photoelectric effect shows that light has particle-like properties because electrons are emitted from a metal surface only when the light frequency exceeds a specific threshold. This cannot be explained by wave theory, which would predict that increasing light intensity should lead to electron emission regardless of frequency.
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