A) In three to four sentences, explain how the photoelectric effect supports a particle model of electromagnetic radiation. As part of your response, evaluate the idea that radiation frequency and intensity highlight how the wave model is inadequate to explain the photoelectric effect (4 points)

Answer 1

The photoelectric effect supports a particle model of electromagnetic radiation because it demonstrates that light behaves as discrete packets of energy called photons. When light of a certain frequency hits a metal surface, electrons are ejected with a certain kinetic energy, which supports the idea of quantized energy levels associated with individual photons. The fact that the intensity or brightness of the light does not affect the kinetic energy of the ejected electrons contradicts the wave model, which would predict a relationship between intensity and energy transfer. This highlights the inadequacy of the wave model in explaining the photoelectric effect and provides further evidence for the particle nature of light.