Exam-style question
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Why can't wave theory account for the photoelectric effect?.
- A.Wave theory suggests energy is continuous, which contradicts the discrete nature of photon energy.
- B.Wave theory predicts that light should not have any effect on metal surfaces.
- C.Wave theory assumes all light frequencies can eject electrons regardless of intensity.
- D.Wave theory indicates that light travels slower than electrons, affecting emission.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- Wave theory suggests energy is continuous, which contradicts the discrete nature of photon energy.
Explanation
Why this works
Wave theory suggests energy is continuous, leading to the expectation that increasing light intensity should eject electrons regardless of frequency. However, the photoelectric effect shows that only light above a certain threshold frequency can emit electrons, demonstrating that energy is quantized in photons.
This discrepancy highlights the limitations of wave theory in explaining the photoelectric observations.
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