Thorium is radioactive, but it is also a metal and so it will emit electrons when illuminated by light. The mass of an electron is 0.511 MeV/c². (a) Given that the work function of Thorium is 3.4 eV, compute the maximum kinetic energy of an electron emitted when Thorium is illuminated by UV light from the sun with a wavelength of 280 nm. (b) Find the speed an electron emitted with the maximum kinetic energy you found in part (a) as a fraction of the speed of light. Is this particle moving relativistically? (c) Find the de Broglie wavelength in nanometers for the electron from part (b). d) Suppose the electron from parts (b) and (c) are scattered off a crystal, producing an interference pattern that has its first maximum at an angle of 0 = 62°. What is the inter-atomic spacing d of the crystal?

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Thorium is radioactive, but it is also a metal and so it will emit electrons when
illuminated by light. The mass of an electron is 0.511 MeV/c².
(a) Given that the work function of Thorium is 3.4 eV, compute the maximum kinetic energy
of an electron emitted when Thorium is illuminated by UV light from the sun with a
wavelength of 280 nm.
(b) Find the speed an electron emitted with the maximum kinetic energy you found in
part (a) as a fraction of the speed of light. Is this particle moving relativistically?
(c) Find the de Broglie wavelength in nanometers for the electron from part (b).
(d) Suppose the electron from parts (b) and (c) are scattered off a crystal, producing an
interference pattern that has its first maximum at an angle of 0 = 62°. What is the
inter-atomic spacing d of the crystal?
Transcribed Image Text:Thorium is radioactive, but it is also a metal and so it will emit electrons when illuminated by light. The mass of an electron is 0.511 MeV/c². (a) Given that the work function of Thorium is 3.4 eV, compute the maximum kinetic energy of an electron emitted when Thorium is illuminated by UV light from the sun with a wavelength of 280 nm. (b) Find the speed an electron emitted with the maximum kinetic energy you found in part (a) as a fraction of the speed of light. Is this particle moving relativistically? (c) Find the de Broglie wavelength in nanometers for the electron from part (b). (d) Suppose the electron from parts (b) and (c) are scattered off a crystal, producing an interference pattern that has its first maximum at an angle of 0 = 62°. What is the inter-atomic spacing d of the crystal?
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