Assignment No.

01 Modern Physics
0001-BS-PHY-2019 BS Physics 3rd Semester
Question No. 01
Planck’s constant gives a measure of the energy at which quantum effects are observed. If Planck’s constant
had a smaller value, while all other physical quantities, such as the speed of light, remained the same, quantum
effects would be seen for phenomena that occur at higher frequencies or shorter wavelengths. That is, quantum
phenomena would be less conspicuous than they are now.
Question No. 02
No, it is not correct. As we know that,
𝜙 = ℎ𝑣𝑜 … (𝑖)
ℎ𝑣 = 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 + 𝜙 … (𝑖𝑖)
So, from (i) and (ii)
ℎ𝑣 = 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 + ℎ𝑣𝑜
⇒ 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ℎ𝑣 − ℎ𝑣𝑜 = ℎ(𝑣 − 𝑣𝑜 )
So that while 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 is a linear function of the frequency v of the incident light. 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 is not proportional to
the frequency v.
Question No. 03
Given

Wavelength of photon = λ = 700 nm = 700×10-9 𝑚

m2 kg⁄
Value of Plank’s constant = h = 6.63×10-34 s
Required
Energy of photon = E = ?
Solution
As we know that,
ℎ𝑐
𝐸=
λ
Where c is speed of light. Putting the value in above equation.
m2 kg⁄
(6.63×10-34 8
s)(2.998×10 m⁄s)
𝐸= -9
700×10 m

𝐸 = 2.84×10-19 J
In terms of eV.
1.66×10-19
𝐸 = 2.84×10-19 J×
1.66×10-19

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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
As we know 1eV = 1.66×10-19 𝐽.
So,
E = 1.77 eV
Question No. 04
Given

Power = P = 1.00 kW = 1× 103 W

Frequency = v = 880 kHz = 880× 103 Hz

Required
Photon per second = ?
Solution
The number of photons per unit time is the total energy per unit time (the power) divided by the energy per
photon, or
m2 kg⁄
𝑃 𝑃 1×103 s
= = 2 =1.72 ×1030 Photons⁄second
𝐸 ℎ𝑣 -34 m kg⁄ 3
(6.63×10 s )(880×10 Hz )
Question No. 05
Given

The distance between sun and earth = 1.5×1011 m

=1.4×103 W⁄ 2
P
Rate = A m
Frequency of monochromatic Sun = 5×1014 Hz
Required
a) How many photons fall per second on each square meter of the earth's surface directly facing the sun?
b) What is the power output of the sun, and how many photons per second does it emit?
c) How many photons per cubic meter are there near the earth?
Solution
a)
The number of photons per unit time per unit are will be the energy per unit time per unit area
(the power per unit area, P/A), divided by the energy per photon, or

𝑃/𝐴 1.4×103 W⁄ 2
= m = 4.2×1021 photons/s.m2
2 kg
ℎ𝑣 14 -34 m ⁄s )
(5×10 Hz )(6.63×10

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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
b) With the reasonable assumption that the sun radiates uniformly in all directions, all points at the same
distance from the sun should have the same flux of energy, even if there is no surface to absorb the
energy. The total power is then,

𝑃/𝐴)4𝜋𝑅 2 𝐸−𝑆 =(1.4×103 W⁄ 2 )4π(1.5×1011 m)= 4×1026 W

m
where𝑅𝐸−𝑆 is the mean Earth-Sun distance, commonly abbreviated as “1 AU,” for “astronomical unit.” The
number of photons emitted per second is this power divided by the energy per photon, or

𝑃 4×1026 W 45 photon
= =1.2×10
ℎ𝑣 m2 kg⁄ s
(6.63×10-34 14
s )(5×10 Hz )
c) The photons are all moving at the same speed c, and in the same direction (spreading is not significant
on the scale of the earth), and so the number of photons per unit time per unit area is the product of the
number per unit volume and the speed. Using the result from part (a),

4.2×1021 photons/s.m2
8 =1.4×1013 photons/m3
3×10 m/s
Question No. 06

Wavelength = 𝜆𝑜 = 230 nm=230 ×10-9 𝑚

KEmax =1.5 eV=1.5×1.6 × 10−19 J
Required
𝜆 =?
Solution
Since we know that
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ℎ𝑣 − ℎ𝑣𝑜
ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = −
𝜆 𝜆𝑜
ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐
= + 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥
𝜆 𝜆𝑜
ℎ𝑐
𝜆=
ℎ𝑐
( + 𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 )
𝜆𝑜
m2 kg⁄
(6.63×10-34 8
s )(3×10 m/s)
𝜆= 2
=180 nm
-34 m kg⁄ 8
(6.63×10 s )(3×10 m/s) +1.5×1.6×10-19 J
230 ×10-9 m
Question No. 07
Given
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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
Wave of light = 200 nm= 200×10-9 m
Required
a) maximum wavelength of light that will cause photoelectrons to be emitted from sodium𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 =?
b) maximum kinetic energy of the photoelectrons
Solution
a) The maximum wavelength would correspond to the least energy that would allow an electron to be
emitted, so the incident energy would be equal to the work function, and
m2 kg⁄
hc (6.63×10-34 8
s )(3×10 m/s)
𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 = = = 539 nm
ϕ 1.6×10-19 ×2.3 eV
where the value of ϕ for sodium is taken from Table 2.1
b) As we know,
m2 kg⁄
ℎ𝑐 (6.63×10-34 8
s )(3×10 m/s)
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ℎ𝑣 − ϕ = − ϕ = -2.3 eV=3.9eV
𝜆 1.6×10-19
Question No. 08
Given
Power = 1.5 mW = 1.5x10-3W
Wavelength = 400 nm
percent of the incident photons produce photoelectrons = 0.10%
Required
Current in the cell = ?
Solution
As only 0.10% of the light creates photoelectrons, the available power is (1.0x10-3). (1.5x10-3W) = 1.5x10-6
W. the current will be the product of the number of photoelectrons per unit time and the electron charge, or
𝑃 𝑃 𝑃𝜆 (1.5 × 10−6 )(400 × 10−9 )
𝐼=𝑒 =𝑒 =𝑒 = (1𝑒) 2
= 0.48𝜇𝐴
𝐸 ℎ𝑐 ℎ𝑐 -34 m kg⁄ 8
𝜆 (6.63×10 s )(3×10 m/s)
-19
1.6×10
Question No. 09
Given
Denoting the two energies and frequencies with subscripts 1 and 2
Frequency = 𝑣1 = 8.5 x 1014 Hz
Energy = 𝐸1 = 0.52 eV

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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
Frequency = 𝑣2 = 12.0 x 1014 Hz
Energy = 𝐸2 = 1.97 eV
Required
a) Planck's constant =?
b) work function =?
Solution
As we know
𝐸1 = ℎ𝑣1 − 𝜙 … (𝑖)
𝐸2 = ℎ𝑣2 − 𝜙 … (𝑖𝑖)
Subtracting (ii) from (i),
𝐸2 − 𝐸1 = ℎ𝑣2 − ℎ𝑣1
𝐸2 − 𝐸1 = ℎ(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )
𝐸2 − 𝐸1
ℎ=
(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )
1.9 eV-0.52 eV
ℎ=
12×1014 -8.5×1014
h = 4.14 ×10−15 eV ⋅ s = 6.64 × 10-34 J ⋅ s
The work function may be obtained by substituting the above result into either of the above expressions
relating the frequencies and the energies, yielding = 3.0 eV to the same two significant figures, or the
equations may be solved by rewriting them as
𝐸1 𝑣2 = ℎ𝑣1 𝑣2 − 𝜙𝑣2 … (𝑖𝑖𝑖)
𝐸2 𝑣1 = ℎ𝑣2 𝑣1 − 𝜙𝑣1 … (𝑖𝑣)
(𝑖𝑣) − (𝑖𝑖𝑖)
𝐸2 𝑣1 − 𝐸1 𝑣2 = 𝜙𝑣2 − 𝜙𝑣1 = 𝜙(𝑣2 − 𝑣1 )
𝐸2 𝑣1 −𝐸1 𝑣2
𝜙= (𝑣2 −𝑣1 )

(1.9 eV)(8.5×1014 )-(0.52 eV)(12×1014 )

𝜙= =3 0 eV
12×1014 -8.5×1014
Question No. 10
Proof
Consider the proposed interaction in the frame of the electron initially at rest. The photon's initial momentum
is po = Eo/c, and if the electron were to attain all of the photon's momentum and energy, the final momentum
of the electron must be pe = po = p, the final electron kinetic energy must be KE = Eo = pc, and so the final
electron energy is Ee = pc + mec2.
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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
However, for any electron we must have Ee2 = (pc)2 + (mec2)2.
Equating the two expressions for Ee2
(𝐸𝑒 )2 = (𝑝𝑐 + 𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 )2
(𝑝𝑐)2 + (𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 )2 = (𝑝𝑐)2 + (𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 )2 + 2(𝑝𝑐)(𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 )
0 = 2(𝑝𝑐)(𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 )
This is only possible if p = 0, in which case the photon had no initial momentum and no initial energy, and
hence could not have existed. To see the same result without using as much algebra, the electron's final kinetic
energy is

√(𝑝𝑐)2 + (𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 )2 − 𝑚𝑒 𝑐 2 ≠ 𝑝𝑐
for nonzero p. An easier alternative is to consider the interaction in the frame where the electron is at rest after
absorbing the photon. In this frame, the final energy is the rest energy of the electron, mec2, but before the
interaction, the electron would have been moving (to conserve momentum), and hence would have had more
energy than after the interaction, and the photon would have had positive energy, so energy could not be
conserved.
Question No. 11
Given
Potential Difference = 10 kV
Required
a) highest frequency of the electromagnetic waves =?
b) What kind of waves are these?
Solution
For the highest frequency, the electrons will acquire all of their kinetic energy from the accelerating
voltage, and this energy will appear as the electromagnetic radiation emitted when these electrons
strike the screen. The frequency of this radiation will be,
𝐸 𝑒𝑉 1𝑒. 10000𝑉
𝐸 = ℎ𝑣 ⇒ 𝑣 = ℎ = = 4.14 ×10−15 eV ⋅ s = 2.4 ×1018 Hz
ℎ

which corresponds to x-rays.

Question No. 12
Given
Distance = d = 0.300 nm
λ = 0.030nm
Required
Smallest angle = 𝜃 =?
Solution
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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
2 𝑑 𝑆𝑖𝑛θ = nλ
For n = 1
2 𝑑 𝑆𝑖𝑛θ = λ
λ
𝑆𝑖𝑛 𝜃 =
2𝑑
λ
𝜃 = 𝑆𝑖𝑛−1 ( )
2𝑑
0.03 nm
𝜃 = Sin-1 ( ) = 2.9°
2×0.300nm
Question No. 13
Given
Momentum = p =1.1 x 10-23 kg m/s
Required
frequency of an x-ray photon =?
Solution
𝐸 = 𝑝𝑐
ℎ𝑣 = 𝑝𝑐
𝑝𝑐
𝑣=
ℎ
(1.1×10-23 kg m/s)(3×108 m/s)
𝑣= -15 =5.8×1018 Hz
4.14 ×10 eV
Question No. 14
Given
Wavelength = 0.1 nm
Proof
As we know that
ℎ
𝜆𝑐 =
𝑚𝑐
For Sodium,
ℎ
𝜆𝑐,𝑁𝑎 =
𝑐𝑀𝑁𝑎
𝑀𝑁𝑎 is rest mass of Na. which is calculated 3.82 x 10-26 kg.

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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
6.63×10-34 Js
𝜆𝑐,𝑁𝑎 = 8 -26
=5.8×10-17 m
(3×10 m/s)(3.82 x 10 kg)
or 5.8 x 10-8 nm, which is much less than o.1 nm.
Question No 15
Given
Angle = 𝜙 = 45°
wavelength = 𝜆′ =2.2 pm
Required
𝜆 =?
Solution
As we know that
𝜆′ − 𝜆 = 𝜆𝑐 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙)
Rearranging it.
𝜆 = 𝜆′ − 𝜆𝑐 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙)
𝜆 = 2.2 pm-(2.426 pm)(1-Cos 45°)=1.5 pm
to the given two significant figures.
Question No. 16
Given
Initial frequency = 𝑣 = 3 × 1019 𝐻𝑧
Angle = 𝜙 = 90°
Required
new frequency = ?
Solution
As we know that
𝜆′ − 𝜆 = 𝜆𝑐 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙)
𝜙 = 90° So,
𝜆′ − 𝜆 = 𝜆𝑐
𝑐 𝑐
− = 𝜆𝑐
𝑣′ 𝑣
𝑐 𝑐
= 𝜆 𝑐 +
𝑣′ 𝑣
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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
𝑣′ 𝑐 −1
= [𝜆𝑐 + ]
𝑐 𝑣
𝑐 −1
𝑣 ′ = 𝑐 [𝜆𝑐 + ]
𝑣

′ 8 −12
(3×108 m/s) −1
𝑣 = (3×10 m/s)[2.246×10 + ]
3 × 1019 𝐻𝑧
𝑣 ′ = 2.4 × 1019 𝐻𝑧
The above method avoids the intermediate calculation of wavelengths.
Question No. 17
Given
E' = 100 keV
E = 90 keV
Required

𝜙 =?
Solution
𝜆′ − 𝜆 = 𝜆𝑐 (1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙)

Rearranging

𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙 = 1 + (λ / λc) - (λ' / λc)

𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙 = 1 + mc²/E - mc²/E'

𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙 = 1 + (511 / 100 - 511 / 90)

𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙 = 0.432
𝜙 = Cos ⁻¹ (0.432)

𝜙 = 64 °
Question No. 18
Proof
As we know that
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 = ℎ𝑣 − ℎ𝑣 ′ … (𝑖)
2𝑚𝑐 2 (ℎ𝑣 − ℎ𝑣 ′ ) = 2(ℎ𝑣)(ℎ𝑣 ′ )(1 − 𝐶𝑜𝑠𝜙) … (𝑖𝑖)
Putting value from equation (i) and 𝜙 = 180 °.
2𝑚𝑐 2 (𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 ) = 2(ℎ𝑣)(ℎ𝑣 ′ )(1 − (−1))
𝑚𝑐 2 (𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 ) = 2(ℎ𝑣)(ℎ𝑣 ′ )
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 Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics
2(ℎ𝑣)(ℎ𝑣 ′ )
𝐾𝐸𝑚𝑎𝑥 =
𝑚𝑐 2
𝑐 𝑐 𝑣 𝜆′
Since 𝑣 = 𝜆 and 𝑣 ′ = 𝜆′ . So 𝑣𝜆 = 𝑣 ′ 𝜆′ ⇒ 𝑣′ = 𝜆 So,

𝜆
𝑣′ = 𝑣
𝜆′

,
and using this relation,

.
Question No. 19
As presented in the text, the energy of the scattered photon is known in terms of the scattered angle,
not the recoil angle of the scattering electron. Consider the expression for the recoil angle as

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Assignment No. 01 Modern Physics

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