Practice portal › Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation › Conceptual and Statement Questions on the Photoelectric Effect

When a metal is subjected to a strong electric field, electrons are pulled out of the metal surface. The order of this electric field is ______ V cm⁻¹.

Asked in GUJCET 2013 · Conceptual points of the photoelectric effect

Answer: (2) 10⁶

Step-by-step solution

Idea: field emission needs a very strong field, of the order of 10⁸ V m⁻¹, to pull electrons out of a metal (as in a spark plug).

Convert: 1 m = 100 cm, so 1 V m⁻¹ = 10⁻² V cm⁻¹.

10⁸ V m⁻¹ = 10⁸×10⁻² V cm⁻¹ = 10⁶ V cm⁻¹

So the field is of the order of 10⁶ V cm⁻¹.

Why the other options are wrong

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