Instructional Master

LSM 12.4-1

Figure 6
Collected current versus accelerating potential difference

Current Reaching Plate

Electron Energies

1.0

2.0

3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
Accelerating Potential Difference (V)

9.0

10.0

4.0 eV
1.1 eV

0 eV
4.9 eV
electron

4.0 eV
electron

6.0 eV
electron

mercury atom

mercury atom

mercury atom

Figure 7
An incident electron with kinetic
energy less than 4.9 eV bounces off
the mercury atom with no loss of
kinetic energy.

Figure 8
An incident electron with kinetic
energy 4.9 eV collides with the mercury atom and loses all its energy.

Figure 9
The incident electron with kinetic
energy greater than 4.9 eV collides
with the mercury atom, losing
4.9 eV of kinetic energy but
retaining enough energy to be able
to reach the plate.

Energy Above Ground State (eV)

unbound states
10.4 eV

ionization level

8.8 eV

3rd excitation level

6.7 eV

2nd excitation level

4.9 eV

1st excitation level

0 eV

366 Chapter 12 Waves, Photons, and Matter

ground state

Figure 10
Energy-level diagram for mercury.
Although only three excitation levels
are shown, there are many more
above the third level, spaced progressively closer together up to the
ionization level. Beyond the ionization level, electrons are not bound
to the nucleus of an atom.

Copyright 2003 Nelson