Year 12 PhysicsModule 7: The Nature of LightIQ315 MC + 5 written45 min

Checkpoint 3: Quantum Model of Light

Checkpoint 3 assesses L16, L20 in the published syllabus sequence.

Stable ID L16

The Photoelectric Effect

Assessment is drawn only from this lesson’s repaired effective pool.

Stable ID L20

Quantum Model and Wave-Particle Duality

Assessment is drawn only from this lesson’s repaired effective pool.

Coverage boundary

This checkpoint assesses L16, L20 only. Lesson file IDs remain stable; displayed lesson numbers follow the module’s syllabus sequence.

1. The photoelectric effect is the ejection of electrons from a metal surface when...

Aheat is applied to the metal
Blight above a threshold frequency strikes the metal
Cany visible light strikes the metal
Delectrical current flows through the metal

2. The classical wave model of light FAILED to explain which observation about the photoelectric effect?

Athat electrons have negative charge
Bthat electrons can be emitted at all
Cthat metals reflect some light
Dthat no electrons are emitted below a threshold frequency, regardless of intensity

3. Einstein explained the photoelectric effect by proposing that light consists of...

Alongitudinal waves
Bcontinuous streams of energy
Cdiscrete packets of energy called photons
Dcharged particles heavier than electrons

4. The work function φ of a metal is...

Athe minimum energy needed to eject an electron from the metal
Bthe maximum kinetic energy of ejected electrons
Cthe frequency of light used in the experiment
Dthe speed of electrons after ejection

5. The stopping potential V_s in a photoelectric experiment is the voltage needed to...

Aaccelerate electrons toward the collector
Bincrease the photocurrent to maximum
Cstop the most energetic emitted electrons from reaching the collector
Dprevent light from hitting the metal

6. Light of frequency 1.0 × 10¹⁵ Hz strikes a metal with work function 2.0 eV. The maximum kinetic energy of emitted electrons is approximately...

A6.1 eV
B2.1 eV
C4.1 eV
D0.5 eV

7. If the intensity of light in a photoelectric experiment is doubled (frequency unchanged, above threshold), the maximum kinetic energy of emitted electrons...

Adoubles
Bhalves
Cstays the same
Dquadruples

8. The stopping potential for a photoelectric experiment increases when...

Athe frequency of incident light increases
Bthe intensity of incident light increases
Cthe metal is made thicker
Dthe light source is moved further away

9. De Broglie's hypothesis states that all matter has a wavelength given by...

Aλ = mv/h
Bλ = hf
Cλ = h/f
Dλ = h/(mv)

10. The Davisson-Germer experiment (1927) confirmed de Broglie's hypothesis by demonstrating...

Aelectron diffraction from a crystal lattice
Belectron emission from metals
Cproton wave properties
Dphoton diffraction from crystals

11. The Heisenberg uncertainty principle states that the product of uncertainties in position and momentum satisfies...

AΔx·Δp = 0 (both can be known exactly)
BΔx·Δp ≤ h
CΔx·Δp ≥ ℏ/2
DΔx·Δp = hf

12. Bohr's complementarity principle states that...

Alight is only a wave
Bwave and particle models are complementary, both are needed, but only one is observed in any single experiment
Cmatter can only be described as particles
Dthe uncertainty principle violates energy conservation

13. An electron moves at 2.0 × 10⁶ m/s. Its de Broglie wavelength is approximately...

A7.3 × 10⁻¹⁰ m
B1.8 × 10⁻¹⁰ m
C3.6 × 10⁻¹⁰ m
D9.1 × 10⁻¹⁰ m

14. Why do macroscopic objects (like a cricket ball) not exhibit observable wave behaviour?

AMacroscopic objects move too fast for quantum effects
BNewton's laws prevent wave behaviour for large objects
CMacroscopic objects are too hot for quantum effects
DTheir de Broglie wavelengths are immeasurably small

15. In a single-electron double-slit experiment, each electron is detected as a point on the screen. Over many electrons, the pattern formed is...

Atwo bright bands (one per slit)
Ban interference pattern with multiple bright and dark fringes
Ca random scattering of points with no pattern
Da uniform spread across the screen

SA1. State Einstein’s photoelectric equation, define its symbols and state the threshold condition. (4 marks)

SA2. A metal has work function 2.50 eV and is illuminated by 400 nm light. Calculate the photon energy and maximum electron kinetic energy. (4 marks)

SA3. Explain the different effects of increasing intensity and increasing frequency in a photoelectric experiment. (4 marks)

SA4. Describe the single-electron double-slit evidence and explain why reliable which-path information removes interference. (4 marks)

SA5. State de Broglie’s relation and its non-relativistic applicability condition. Explain why electron microscopes can outperform optical microscopes. (4 marks)

SA1 Model Answer (4 marks)

$K_{max}=hf-\phi$, where $h$ is Planck’s constant, $f$ is incident frequency and $\phi$ is the metal work function. Emission requires $hf\geq\phi$; at threshold $f_0=\phi/h$ and $K_{max}=0$.

SA2 Model Answer (4 marks)

$E=hc/\lambda\approx1240/400=3.10$ eV. Therefore $K_{max}=3.10-2.50=0.60$ eV, or $9.6\times10^{-20}$ J.

SA3 Model Answer (4 marks)

At fixed frequency above threshold and before collection saturation, greater intensity means more photons per second and therefore a larger photocurrent. Greater frequency raises each photon’s energy and therefore $K_{max}$ and stopping potential; intensity does not raise $K_{max}$.

SA4 Model Answer (4 marks)

Each electron is detected at one point, but many detections form an interference distribution when the paths remain indistinguishable. A which-path detector becomes entangled with the path alternatives. Distinguishable detector states remove their coherence, so the interference cross terms disappear; decoherence, not mere mechanical disturbance, is the general account.

SA5 Model Answer (4 marks)

$\lambda=h/p$ for any particle; for a non-relativistic particle $p=mv$, so $\lambda=h/(mv)$. Accelerated electrons can have wavelengths far shorter than visible light, reducing the diffraction-limited scale. At relativistic speeds the relativistic momentum must replace $mv$.

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