The orbiting space shuttle moves around Earth well above 99 percentof the atmosp

Question

The orbiting space shuttle moves around Earth well above 99 percentof the atmosphere, yet it still accumulates an electric charge onits skin, due, in part, to the loss of electrons caused by thephotoelectric effect with sunlight. Suppose the skin of the shuttleis coated with Ni, which has a relatively large work function = 4.87eV at the temperatures encountered in orbit.

(a) What is the maximum wavelength in the solar spectrum that canresult in the emission of photoelectrons from the shuttle'sskin?
(b) What is the maximum fraction of the total power falling on theshuttle that could potentially produce electrons?

Explanation / Answer

according to einstein photoelectric equation
h*frequency=workfunction+1/2mv2 h=plancks constant. c=frequency*wavelength wavelength=c/frequency where c is speed oflight.=3*108m/sec    work function = 4.87eV at the temperatures encountered in orbit.
maximum wavelength corresponds to minimum frequency at whichK.E ie 1/2mv2=0 so from this findout  the maximum wavelength in thesolar spectrum that can result in the emission of photoelectronsfrom the shuttle's skin. intensity and emission of photoelectrons areindependent. h=plancks constant. c=frequency*wavelength wavelength=c/frequency where c is speed oflight.=3*108m/sec    work function = 4.87eV at the temperatures encountered in orbit.
maximum wavelength corresponds to minimum frequency at whichK.E ie 1/2mv2=0 so from this findout  the maximum wavelength in thesolar spectrum that can result in the emission of photoelectronsfrom the shuttle's skin. intensity and emission of photoelectrons areindependent.

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