Question

Stopping potential depends upon
(A) Frequency of incident light
(B) Intensity of incident light
(C) Number of emitted electrons
(D) Number of incident photons

Answer 1

Hint Understand the general photoelectric experiment performed by Rudolf hertz and the model proposed by Albert Einstein. Stopping potential is defined as the voltage difference that is required to stop movement of electrons between the plates.

Complete Step By Step Solution
The first photoelectric phenomenon and the experiment was conducted by Rudolf Hertz in the year 1880. It is an effect where, when a conducting surface is exposed to a monochromatic electromagnetic wavelength, the incident radiation is absorbed by the conducting surface and emits electrons. This phenomenon was observed by Heinrich Hertz during the experiment with a spark gap generator. The spark generated between 2 metal poles in the transmitter induces spark on the receiver. Hertz found that by increasing the intensity of light, the sensitivity of the spark could be increased massively.
However, Hertz model couldn’t explain the absence of lag time for electrons to emit, the kinetic energy of photoelectrons on the intensity of incident radiation and the presence of cut-off frequency where frequency beyond that point is impossible. In the quantum approach by Albert Einstein, it was identified that for any intensity of incident radiation the value of stopping potential is always at one value.
When a stopping potential is applied, the photoelectron loses its initial kinetic energy and comes to rest. In presence of stopping potential, the largest kinetic energy is the initial kinetic energy, which it has at the surface of electrodes. Thus the stopping potential depends upon the frequency of the incident light and the material of the metal surface.

Thus Option (a) is the right answer for the given question.

Note Stopping potential doesn’t depend upon the intensity of incident light . By increasing the intensity of the light , the stopping potential value remains undeterred whereas the saturated current increases. Stopping current depends on surface material as each material has a different combination of electrons and will have different stopping current value.