When a photon of suitable frequency is incident on a metal surface, a photoelectron is emitted from it. If the frequency is below a threshold frequency (ν
0) for the surface, no photoelectron is emitted. For a photon of frequency ν (ν > ν
0), the kinetic energy of the emitted photoelectron is:
Km = h(ν − ν0) The photocurrent can be stopped by applying a potential V
0, called the "stopping potential," on the anode. Thus, the maximum kinetic energy of photoelectrons is:
Km = eV0 = h(ν − ν0)The experimental graph between V
0 and ν for a metal is shown in the figure. This is a straight line of slope m.
