Re: [Phys-l] Photoelectric effect question

[carmelo@pacific.net.sg]

  Actually the explanation could include a few more factors: the  
"spread" of frequencies, the intensity of light, the photoemission  
efficiency, photons incident direction and polarization etc... Even  
the mean frequency is higher than the threshold frequency of the  
metal, the photoemission efficiency could be 1: 100, 000. Hence, most  
of the photons are being reflected and scattered by the metal surface,  
hence the metal is reflective in nature....

  Alphonsus 

Quoting Jack Uretsky <jlu@hep.anl.gov>:

> Hi Tony-
>           You percieve a polished metal surcace as shiny because you are
> looking at photons having fequency far below the frequency required to
> generate photoelectrons.  The surface appears shiny because the photons
> are relected, and not absorbed.
>           Shininess is most easily understood as a classical effect.  The
> E-field of the light ray, incident on the metal, generates a current in
> the conductive metal, the current, oscillating with the frequency of the
> incident light ray, radiates EM energgy that you percieve as reflected
> light.
>                           Regards,
>                                   Jack