PASCO h/e Apparatus Instruction Manual

Includes

Teacher's Notes

and

Typical

Experiment Results

Instruction Manual
and Experiment Guide

012-04049J

for the PASCO scientific
Model AP-9368 and AP-9369

h/e Apparatus

and

h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

08/98

© 1989 PASCO scientific $5.00

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Table of Contents

Section Page

Copyright, Warranty, and Equipment Return.................................................. ii

Introduction ..................................................................................................... 1

Background Theory ......................................................................................... 2

Equipment and Setup ....................................................................................... 3

Equipment List .......................................................................................... 3

Installing the Batteries ...............................................................................3

Battery Voltage Check............................................................................... 3

Equipment Setup ....................................................................................... 4

Using the Accessory Kit Filters ................................................................. 6

Experiments:

Experiment 1: Wave Model vs Quantum Model................................. 7

Experiment 2: The Relationship of Energy, Wavelength

and Frequency............................................................ 11

Technical Information .................................................................................... 13

Theory of Operation ................................................................................. 13

Schematic Diagram................................................................................... 14

Teacher’s Guide.............................................................................................. 15

Technical Support ................................................................. Inside Back Cover

®

i

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Copyright, Warranty, and Equipment Return

Please—Feel free to duplicate this manual
subject to the copyright restrictions below.

Copyright Notice

The PASCO scientific 012-04049J h/e Apparatus and
h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit manual is copyrighted
and all rights reserved. However, permission is granted
to non-profit educational institutions for reproduction
of any part of the manual providing the reproductions
are used only for their laboratories and are not sold for
profit. Reproduction under any other circumstances,
without the written consent of PASCO scientific, is
prohibited.

Limited Warranty

PASCO scientific warrants the product to be free from
defects in materials and workmanship for a period of
one year from the date of shipment to the customer.
PASCO will repair or replace at its option any part of
the product which is deemed to be defective in material
or workmanship. The warranty does not cover damage
to the product caused by abuse or improper use.
Determination of whether a product failure is the result
of a manufacturing defect or improper use by the
customer shall be made solely by PASCO scientific.
Responsibility for the return of equipment for warranty
repair belongs to the customer. Equipment must be
properly packed to prevent damage and shipped
postage or freight prepaid. (Damage caused by im­proper packing of the equipment for return shipment
will not be covered by the warranty.) Shipping costs
for returning the equipment after repair will be paid by
PASCO scientific.

Equipment Return

Should the product have to be returned to PASCO
scientific for any reason, notify PASCO scientific by
letter, phone, or fax BEFORE returning the product.
Upon notification, the return authorization and ship­ping instructions will be promptly issued.

➤➤

➤

NOTE: NO EQUIPMENT WILL BE

➤➤

ACCEPTED FOR RETURN WITHOUT AN
AUTHORIZATION FROM PASCO.

When returning equipment for repair, the units must be
packed properly. Carriers will not accept responsibility
for damage caused by improper packing. To be certain
the unit will not be damaged in shipment, observe the
following rules:

➀ The packing carton must be strong enough for the

item shipped.

➁ Make certain there are at least two inches of pack-

ing material between any point on the apparatus and
the inside walls of the carton.

➂ Make certain that the packing material cannot shift

in the box or become compressed, allowing the
instrument come in contact with the packing carton.

Address: PASCO scientific

10101 Foothills Blvd.
Roseville, CA 95747-7100

Phone: [phone]
FAX: [phone]
email: [e-mail]
web: www.pasco.com

Credits

This manual edited by: Dave Griffith

Teacher’s guide written by: Eric Ayar

ii

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Introduction

The emission and absorption of light was an early subject
for investigation by German physicist Max Planck. As
Planck attempted to formulate a theory to explain the
spectral distribution of emitted light based on a classical
wave model, he ran into considerable difficulty. Classical
theory (Rayleigh-Jeans Law) predicted that the amount of
light emitted from a black body would increase dramati­cally as the wavelength decreased, whereas experiment
showed that it approached zero. This discrepancy became
known as the ultraviolet catastrophe.

Experimental data for the radiation of light by a hot,
glowing body showed that the maximum intensity of
emitted light also departed dramatically from the clas­sically predicted values (Wien's Law). In order to rec­oncile theory with laboratory results, Planck was
forced to develop a new model for light called the
quantum model. In this model, light is emitted in
small, discrete bundles or quanta.

The relationship between the classical and quantum theo­ries for the emission of light can be investigated using the
PASCO scientific h/e Apparatus. Using the Apparatus in
combination with the PASCO Mercury Vapor Light
Source (Model OS-9286) allows an accurate determina­tion of the h/e ratio and thus a determination of h,
Planck's constant.

Figure 1. The h/e Apparatus Shown With the Accessory Kit and Mercury Vapor Light Source

®

1

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Background Theory

Planck's Quantum Theory

By the late 1800's many physicists thought they had ex­plained all the main principles of the universe and discov­ered all the natural laws. But as scientists continued work­ing, inconsistencies that couldn't easily be explained be­gan showing up in some areas of study.

In 1901 Planck published his law of radiation. In it he
stated that an oscillator, or any similar physical system,
has a discrete set of possible energy values or levels; en­ergies between these values never occur.

Planck went on to state that the emission and absorption
of radiation is associated with transitions or jumps be­tween two energy levels. The energy lost or gained by the
oscillator is emitted or absorbed as a quantum of radiant
energy, the magnitude of which is expressed by the equa­tion:

E = h

ν

where E equals the radiant energy, ν is the frequency of
the radiation, and h is a fundamental constant of nature.
The constant, h, became known as Planck's constant.

Planck's constant was found to have significance beyond
relating the frequency and energy of light, and became a
cornerstone of the quantum mechanical view of the suba­tomic world. In 1918, Planck was awarded a Nobel prize
for introducing the quantum theory of light.

The Photoelectric Effect

In photoelectric emission, light strikes a material, causing
electrons to be emitted. The classical wave model pre­dicted that as the intensity of incident light was increased,
the amplitude and thus the energy of the wave would in­crease. This would then cause more energetic photoelec­trons to be emitted. The new quantum model, however,
predicted that higher frequency light would produce
higher energy photoelectrons, independent of intensity,
while increased intensity would only increase the number
of electrons emitted (or photoelectric current). In the
early 1900s several investigators found that the kinetic
energy of the photoelectrons was dependent on the wave­length, or frequency, and independent of intensity, while
the magnitude of the photoelectric current, or number of
electrons was dependent on the intensity as predicted by
the quantum model. Einstein applied Planck's theory and
explained the photoelectric effect in terms of the quantum
model using his famous equation for which he received
the Nobel prize in 1921:

E = h

ν

= KE

max

+ W

O

where KE
ted photoelectrons, and W
move them from the surface of the material (the work

is the maximum kinetic energy of the emit-

max

is the energy needed to re-

O

function). E is the energy supplied by the quantum of
light known as a photon.

The h/e Experiment

A light photon with energy hν is incident upon an elec­tron in the cathode of a vacuum tube. The electron uses a
minimum WO of its energy to escape the cathode, leaving
it with a maximum energy of KE
energy. Normally the emitted electrons reach the anode of
the tube, and can be measured as a photoelectric current.
However, by applying a reverse potential V between the
anode and the cathode, the photoelectric current can be
stopped. KE

can be determined by measuring the mini-

max

mum reverse potential needed to stop the photoelectrons
and reduce the photoelectric current to zero.* Relating
kinetic energy to stopping potential gives the equation:

KE

max

Therefore, using Einstein's equation,

ν

= Ve + W

h

When solved for V, the equation becomes:

V = (h/e)

If we plot V vs ν for different frequencies of light, the
graph will look like Figure 2. The V intercept is equal to -

W

/e and the slope is h/e. Coupling our experimental de-

O

termination of the ratio h/e with the accepted value for
e, 1.602 x 10

-19

coulombs, we can determine Planck's

constant, h.

Stopping

Potential

V

Figure 2. The graph of V vs.

*NOTE: In experiments with the PASCO h/e Ap­paratus the stopping potential is measured directly,
rather than by monitoring the photoelectric current.
See the Theory of Operation in the Technical Infor­mation section of the manual for details.

in the form of kinetic

max

= Ve

O

ν

- (WO/e)

Slope
= h/e

Frequency ν

νν

ν

νν

2

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Equipment and Setup

Equipment Required:

Lens/Grating
Assembly

Filters

h/e Apparatus AP-9368

Mercury Vapor light

Source OS-9286

Light Aperture
Assembly

– Digital voltmeter (SE-9589)
– h/e Apparatus, (AP-9368*)
– h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit, (AP-9369*)
– Mercury Vapor Light Source, (OS- 9286*)

Installing the Batteries

The h/e Apparatus requires two 9-volt batteries (supplied
but not installed). The battery compartment is accessed by
loosening the thumbscrew on the rear end panel, and re­moving the cover plate.

➤➤

➤ NOTE: The h/e Apparatus can also be powered

➤➤

using a ±9 V dual power supply. Just remove the
batteries and connect +9 V to the "+6 V MIN" bat­tery test terminal and -9 V to the "-6 V MIN" bat­tery test terminal.

Battery Voltage Check

Although the h/e Apparatus draws only a small amount of
current and batteries normally last a long time, it's a good
idea to check the output voltage before each use. Battery
test points are located on the side panel of the Apparatus
near the ON/OFF switch. Batteries functioning below the
recommended minimum operating level of 6 volts may
cause erroneous results in your experiments.

Support Base Assembly

Light Block (for
Light Source)

Coupling Bar Assembly

h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit AP-9369

Figure 3. h/e Equipment Identification

*These items may be purchased separately from PASCO

scientific, or together as an AP-9370 h/e System.

®

To check the batteries, use a voltmeter to measure be­tween the OUTPUT ground terminal and each
BATTERY TEST terminal (-6V MIN and +6V MIN).
If either battery tests below its minimum rating, it should
be replaced before running experiments.

Battery Test
Terminals

ON/OFF
Switch

Ground
Te rm i na l

Figure 4. Battery Test Points

3

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Press to discharge the
instrument.

ON/OFF Switch

Connect to a digital
voltmeter (the output is a
direct measurement of
the stopping potential).

THE CONTROLS

Figure 5. Equipment Setup Using a Mercury Vapor Light Source and the h/e Apparatus

Equipment Setup

h/e Apparatus

Support Base Assembly

Light Aperture
Assembly

Lens/Grating
Assembly

Light Block

Light
Source

Coupling Bar Assembly

Light Block

The standard setup for h/e experiments is shown in
Figure 5. Details for setting up the apparatus are
described below.

1. The Light Source design allows simultaneous connec-

tion of two Light Aperture assemblies: one on the
front and one on the back. If you are using only one
Light Aperture and h/e Apparatus, install the Light
Block (supplied with the Accessory Kit) in the mount­ing groove closest to the body of the housing on the
back of the Light Source (see Figure 6).

2. Slide the Light Aperture Assembly into the center

mounting groove on the front of the Light Source.
Secure it in place by finger-tightening the two thumb­screws against the front of the Light Source
housing.

3. The Lens/Grating Assembly mounts on the support

bars of the Light Aperture Assembly (Figure 7).
Loosen the thumbscrew, slip it over the bars, and
finger-tighten the thumbscrew to hold it securely.

➤ NOTE: The grating is blazed to produce the
brightest spectrum on one side only. During your
experiment, you may need to turn the Lens/Grating
Assembly around in order to have the brightest
spectrum on a convenient side of your lab table.

Rear Channel
of Mercury
Light Source

Figure 6. Installing the Light Block

Figure 7. Lens/Grating Mounting Detail

4

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

4. Turn on the Light Source and allow it to warm up for

five minutes. Check the alignment of the Light Source
and the Aperture by looking at the light shining on the
back of the Lens/Grating assembly. If necessary, adjust
the back plate of the Light Aperture Assembly by loos­ening the two retaining screws (Figure 8) and sliding
the aperture plate left or right until the light shines di­rectly on the center of the Lens/Grating Assembly.

Figure 8. Light Aperture Adjustment

5. Insert the Coupling Bar assembly into the lower

mounting groove of the Light Source (Figure 5). Se­cure in place by tightening the thumbscrew against the
front of the Light Source housing.

6. Remove the screw from the end of the Support Base

rod. Insert the screw through the hole in the Support
Base plate and attach the rod to the Support Base plate
by tightening the screw (use Phillips drive screwdriver).

7. Place the h/e Apparatus onto the Support Base

Assembly.

8. Place the Support Base assembly over the pin on the

end of the Coupling Bar assembly.

9. Connect a digital voltmeter (DVM) to the OUTPUT

terminals of the h/e Apparatus. Select the 2V or 20V
range on the meter.

10

. Set the h/e Apparatus directly in front of the Mercury

Vapor Light Source. By sliding the Lens/Grating as­sembly back and forth on its support rods, focus the
light onto the white reflective mask of the h/e Appara­tus (Figure 9).

Window to
White Photodiode
Mask

White
Reflective
Mask

Light Shield

Base Support Rod

Figure 9. h/e Light Shield

(shown tilted to
the open position)

11. Roll the light shield of the Apparatus out of the way to

reveal the white photodiode mask inside the Appara­tus. Rotate the h/e Apparatus until the image of the
aperture is centered on the window in the photodiode
mask. Then tighten the thumbscrew on the base
support rod to hold the Apparatus in place.

12.

As in step 9, slide the Lens/Grating assembly back and
forth on its support rods, until you achieve the sharpest
possible image of the aperture on the window in the
photodiode mask. Tighten the thumbscrew on the Lens/
Grating assembly and replace the light shield.

13

. Turn the power switch ON. Rotate the h/e Apparatus

about the pin of the Coupling Bar Assembly until one
of the colored maxima in the first order shines directly
on the slot in the white reflective mask. Rotate the h/e
Apparatus on its support base so that the same spectral
maxima that falls on the opening in the White Reflec­tive Mask also falls on the window in the photodi­ode mask.

➤ NOTE: The white reflective mask on the h/e
apparatus is made of a special fluorescent material.
This allows you to see the ultraviolet line as a blue
line, and it also makes the violet line appear more
blue. You can see the actual colors of the light if
you hold a piece of white non-fluorescent material
in front of the mask. (The palm of your hand works
in a pinch, although it fluoresces enough that the
UV line will still be visible.)

When making measurements it is important that
only one color falls on the photodiode window.
There must be no overlap from adjacent spectral
maxima.

®

5

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

All values except wavelength for yellow line are
from Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 46th ed.
The wavelength of the yellow was determined ex­perimentally using a 600 line/mm grating.

NOTE: The yellow line is actually a doublet

with wavelengths of 578 and 580mm.

White

Ultraviolet

Violet

Blue

Green

Yellow

2nd and 3rd Order Overlap

Color Frequency (Hz) Wavelength (nm)

Yellow 5.18672E+14 578

Green 5.48996E+14 546.074

Blue 6.87858E+14 435.835

Violet 7.40858E+14 404.656

Ultraviolet 8.20264E+14 365.483

1st Order

2nd Order

Green & Yellow Spectral lines
in 3rd Order are not Visible.

3rd Order

Figure 10. The Three Orders of Light Gradients

14

. Press the “PUSH TO ZERO” button on the side panel

of the h/e Apparatus to discharge any accumulated po­tential in the unit's electronics. This will assure the Ap­paratus records only the potential of the light you are
measuring. Note that the output voltage will drift with
the absence of light on the photodiode.

15

. Read the output voltage on your digital voltmeter. It is

a direct measurement of the stopping potential for the
photoelectrons. (See Theory of Operation in the Tech-
nical Information section of the manual for an expla­nation of the measurement.)

➤ NOTE: For some apparatus, the stopping poten-
tial will temporarily read high and then drop down
to the actual stopping potential voltage.

Using the Filters

The (AP-9368) h/e Apparatus includes three filters: one
Green and one Yellow, plus a Variable Transmission Filter.
The filter frames have magnetic strips and mount to the out­side of the White Reflective Mask of the h/e Apparatus.

Use the green and yellow filters when you're using the
green and yellow spectral lines. These filters limit higher
frequencies of light from entering the h/e Apparatus. This
prevents ambient room light from interfering with the
lower energy yellow and green light and masking the true
results. It also blocks the higher frequency ultraviolet light
from the higher order spectra which may overlap with
lower orders of yellow and green.

The Variable Transmission Filter consists of computer­generated patterns of dots and lines that vary the intensity
(not the frequency) of the incident light. The relative trans­mission percentages are 100%, 80%, 60%, 40%, and 20%.

6

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Experiment 1: The Wave Model of light

vs. the Quantum Model

Setup

According to the photon theory of light, the maximum kinetic energy, KE
depends only on the frequency of the incident light, and is independent of the intensity. Thus
the higher the frequency of the light, the greater its energy.

In contrast, the classical wave model of light predicted that KE
sity. In other words, the brighter the light, the greater its energy.

This lab investigates both of these assertions. Part A selects two spectral lines from a mercury
light source and investigates the maximum energy of the photoelectrons as a function of the
intensity. Part B selects different spectral lines and investigates the maximum energy of the
photoelectrons as a function of the frequency of the light.

Set up the equipment as shown in the diagram below. Focus the light from the Mercury Vapor
Light Source onto the slot in the white reflective mask on the h/e Apparatus. Tilt the Light
Shield of the Apparatus out of the way to reveal the white photodiode mask inside the Appara­tus. Slide the Lens/Grating assembly forward and back on its support rods until you achieve the
sharpest image of the aperture centered on the hole in the photodiode mask. Secure the
Lens/Grating by tightening the thumbscrew.

Align the system by rotating the h/e Apparatus on its support base so that the same color light
that falls on the opening of the light screen falls on the window in the photodiode mask, with no
overlap of color from other spectral lines. Return the Light Shield to its closed position.

would depend on light inten-

max

, of photoelectrons

max

Check the polarity of the leads from your digital voltmeter (DVM), and connect them to the
OUTPUT terminals of the same polarity on the h/e Apparatus.

Experiment 1. Equipment Setup

®

7

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Procedure

Part A

1. Adjust the h/e Apparatus so that only one of the spectral colors falls upon the opening of the mask

of the photodiode. If you select the green or yellow spectral line, place the corresponding colored
filter over the White Reflective Mask on the h/e Apparatus

2. Place the Variable Transmission Filter in front of the White Reflective Mask (and over the colored

filter, if one is used) so that the light passes through the section marked 100% and reaches the pho­todiode. Record the DVM voltage reading in the table below.

Press the instrument discharge button, release it, and observe approximately how much time is re­quired to return to the recorded voltage.

3. Move the Variable Transmission Filter so that the next section is directly in front of the incoming

light. Record the new DVM reading, and approximate time to recharge after the discharge button
has been pressed and released.

Repeat Step 3 until you have tested all five sections of the filter.

Repeat the procedure using a second color from the spectrum.

Color #1

Color #2

(name)

(name)

%Transmission Stopping Potential Approx. Charge

Time

100

80

60

40

20

%Transmission Stopping Potential Approx. Charge

Time

100

80

60

40

20

8

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Part B

1. You can easily see five colors in the mercury light spectrum. Adjust the h/e Apparatus so that

only one of the yellow colored bands falls upon the opening of the mask of the photodiode.
Place the yellow colored filter over the White Reflective Mask on the h/e Apparatus.

2. Record the DVM voltage reading (stopping potential) in the table below.

3. Repeat the process for each color in the spectrum. Be sure to use the green filter when measur-

ing the green spectrum.

Analysis

1. Describe the effect that passing different amounts of the same colored light through the Vari-

able Transmission Filter has on the stopping potential and thus the maximum energy of the
photoelectrons, as well as the charging time after pressing the discharge button.

2. Describe the effect that different colors of light had on the stopping potential and thus the

maximum energy of the photoelectrons.

3. Defend whether this experiment supports a wave or a quantum model of light based on your

lab results.

Explain why there is a slight drop in the measured stopping potential as the light intensity is
decreased.

➤ ➤

➤ NOTE: While the impedance of the zero gain amplifier is very high (♠10

➤ ➤

13

Ω), it is not
infinite and some charge leaks off. Thus charging the apparatus is analogous to filling a
bath tub with different water flow rates while the drain is partly open.

Light Color

Yellow

Green

Blue

Violet

Ultraviolet

Stopping Potential

®

9

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Notes

10

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Experiment 2: The Relationship between Energy,

Wavelength, and Frequency

According to the quantum model of light, the energy of light is directly proportional to its
frequency. Thus, the higher the frequency, the more energy it has. With careful experimentation,
the constant of proportionality, Planck's constant, can be determined.

In this lab you will select different spectral lines from mercury and investigate the maximum en­ergy of the photoelectrons as a function of the wavelength and frequency of the light.

Setup

Set up the equipment as shown in the diagram below. Focus the light from the Mercury Vapor
Light Source onto the slot in the white reflective mask on the h/e Apparatus. Tilt the Light Shield
of the Apparatus out of the way to reveal the white photodiode mask inside the Apparatus. Slide
the Lens/Grating assembly forward and back on its support rods until you achieve the sharpest im­age of the aperture centered on the hole in the photodiode mask. Secure the Lens/Grating by tight­ening the thumbscrew.

Align the system by rotating the h/e Apparatus on its support base so that the same color light that
falls on the opening of the light screen falls on the window in the photodiode mask with no overlap
of color from other spectral bands. Return the Light Shield to its closed position.

Check the polarity of the leads from your digital voltmeter (DVM), and connect them to the OUT­PUT terminals of the same polarity on the h/e Apparatus.

Experiment 2. Equipment Setup

®

11

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Procedure

1. You can see five colors in two orders of the mercury light spectrum. Adjust the h/e Apparatus

carefully so that only one color from the first order (the brightest order) falls on the opening of
the mask of the photodiode.

2. For each color in the first order, measure the stopping potential with the DVM and record that

measurement in the table below. Use the yellow and green colored filters on the Reflective
Mask of the h/e Apparatus when you measure the yellow and green spectral lines.

3. Move to the second order and repeat the process. Record your results in the table below.

Analysis

Determine the wavelength and frequency of each spectral line. Plot a graph of the stopping
potential vs. frequency.

Determine the slope and y-intercept. Interpret the results in terms of the h/e ratio and the W

O

ratio. Calculate h and WO.

In your discussion, report your values and discuss your results with an interpretation based on
a quantum model for light.

First Order Wavelength Frequency Stopping Potential

Color nm x10

Yellow

Green

Blue

Violet

Ultraviolet

Second Order Wavelength Frequency Stopping Potential

Color nm x10

14

Hz volts

14

Hz volts

/e

12

Yellow

Green

Blue

Violet

Ultraviolet

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Technical Information

Theory of Operation

In experiments with the h/e Apparatus, monochromatic
light falls on the cathode plate of a vacuum photodiode
tube that has a low work function, W0. Photoelectrons
ejected from the cathode collect on the anode.

The photodiode tube and its associated electronics have a
small capacitance which becomes charged by the photo­electric current. When the potential on this capacitance
reaches the stopping potential of the photoelectrons, the
current decreases to zero, and the anode-to-cathode volt­age stabilizes. This final voltage between the anode
and cathode is therefore the stopping potential of the
photoelectrons.

To let you measure the stopping potential, the anode is
connected to a built-in amplifier with an ultrahigh input
impedance (> 10
is connected to the output jacks on the front panel of the
apparatus. This high impedance, unity gain (Vout/Vin = 1)
amplifier lets you measure the stopping potential with a digi­tal voltmeter.

13

Ω), and the output from this amplifier

Due to the ultra high input impedance, once the capacitor
has been charged from the photodiode current it takes a
long time to discharge this potential through some leak­age. Therefore a shorting switch labeled “PUSH TO
Zero” enables the user to quickly bleed off the charge.
However, the op-amp output will not stay at 0 volts after
the switch is released since the op-amp input is floating.

Due to variances in the assembly process, each appara­tus has a slightly different capacitance. When the zero
switch is released, the internal capacitance along with
the user's body capacitance coupled through the switch
is enough to make the output volatge jump and/or os­cillate. Once photoelectrons charge the anode the input
voltage will stabilize.

®

13

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

+9V

D1
1N914

7

2

84

PD1
VACUUM
PHOTODIODE

–

+

3

U1
AD549JH

4

D2
1N914

6

8

R1
1K

P3-3 J3-3

J1

OUTPUT

J2

1P39

-9V

PUSH TO
ZERO

S2

J3-4 P3-4

J3-4 P1-4

J3-4 P1-4

J3-5P3-5

BATTERY TEST

P3-1 J3-1

R2
1K

J1-5 P1-5 P2-1

+

BAT 1

_

J2-1

J2-4 P2-4

+9V

J3

+6V MIN

-9V
S1
ON/OFF

+

BAT 2

_

J1-1 P1-1 P2-2

J2-2

J2-5

P2-5

ON OFF

P3-2 J3-2

J4

-6V MIN

R3
1K

14

Schematic Diagram

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Teacher’s Guide

Exp 1-h/e Apparatus and Accessory Kit

Part A

In each case, the
time to reach full
voltage increases
dramatically
with decreasing
intensity. (up to
a minute for
20% intensity)

Part B

Analysis

1. The amount of light does not

significantly affect the
stopping potential. It
affect the time it takes to
reach this potential. From
this we can determine that
the intensity of the light
affects the number of elec­trons emitted, but not the
maximum energy of the
electrons.

2. Different colors of light do

affect the maximum energy
of the photoelectrons. The
relationship appears to be
linear.

3. This experiment supports a

quantum model of light.

does

The slight drop in the measured stopping potential is due to the leakage of charge through the
zero-gain amplifier. As the intensity decreases, the equilibrium point between the electrons
arriving and the electrons leaving through the amplifier becomes lower.

®

15

h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit 012-04049J

Exp 2-h/e Apparatus and Accessory Kit

Analysis

First order:

h = 6.6406E-34
(0.22% off)

W

= 1.412 eV

o

Second order:

h = 6.7647E-34
(2.1% off)

W

= 1.459 eV

o

16

®

012-04049J h/e Apparatus and h/e Apparatus Accessory Kit

Technical Support

Feed-Back

If you have any comments about this product or this
manual please let us know. If you have any suggestions
on alternate experiments or find a problem in the
manual please tell us. PASCO appreciates any cus­tomer feed-back. Your input helps us evaluate and
improve our product.

To Reach PASCO

For Technical Support call us at 1-800-772-8700
(toll-free within the U.S.) or [phone].

ax: [phone]

e-mail: [e-mail]

web: www.pasco.com

Contacting Technical Support

Before you call the PASCO Technical Support staff, it
would be helpful to prepare the following information:

➤ If your problem is with the PASCO apparatus, note:

- Title and model number (usually listed on the

label);

- Approximate age of apparatus;

- A detailed description of the problem/sequence of

events (in case you can’t call PASCO right away,
you won’t lose valuable data);

- If possible, have the apparatus within reach when

calling to facilitate description of individual parts.

➤ If your problem relates to the instruction manual,

note:

- Part number and revision (listed by month and

year on the front cover);

- Have the manual at hand to discuss your

questions.

®

17