A photocell is illuminated by a small bright source placed 1 m away. When the same source of light is placed 1 /2 m away, the number of electrons emitted by photocathode would
decrease by a factor of 4
increase by a factor of 4
decrease by a factor of 2
increase by a factor of 2
Solution
Multi-choise Question
B.
increase by a factor of 4
On doubling the distance the intensity becomes one fourth i.e. only one-fourth of photons now strike the target in comparison to the previous number. Since the photoelectric effect is a one photon-one electron phenomenon, so only one-fourth photoelectrons are emitted out of the target hence reducing the current to one fourth the previous value.