Exam-style question
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How does increasing the temperature of a metal affect the emission of electrons in thermionic emission?.
- A.It decreases the emission rate.
- B.It has no effect on the emission rate.
- C.It increases the emission rate.
- D.It stops the emission completely.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It increases the emission rate.
Explanation
Why this works
Increasing the temperature of a metal provides more thermal energy to the electrons, increasing their kinetic energy. This enhances the likelihood that electrons will gain enough energy to overcome the work function and be emitted, thus increasing the emission rate.
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