Exam-style question
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Why was wave theory alone insufficient to explain the photoelectric effect?.
- A.It could not account for the immediate emission of electrons
- B.It suggested that light has no energy
- C.It predicted that light intensity alone should cause emission
- D.It failed to explain diffraction patterns
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- It could not account for the immediate emission of electrons
Explanation
Why this works
The cause is that wave theory predicted that energy would be distributed over time, leading to delayed electron emission. The mechanism linking this to the effect is that if light were purely a wave, electrons would not be emitted immediately upon exposure to light of any intensity.
The consequence is that the observed immediate emission of electrons at specific frequencies contradicts wave theory, necessitating the photon model.
Common mistake
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