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QPages 363-364: Q12: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 Photoelectric Effect and Wave-Particle Duality Pages 363-364: Q12 Solution: A point source causes photoelectric effect from a small metal…

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often forget that a point source emits photons uniformly in all directions, so the photon flux (and thus the saturation photocurrent) follows the $1/r^2$ law; they may incorrectly assume the current is independent of distance or increases with distance, leading them to choose a wrong curve.

A point source causes photoelectric effect from a small metal plate. Which of the following curves may represent the saturation photocurrent as a function of the distance between the source and the metal?

Multiple Choice Options

  • A a
  • B b
  • C c
  • D d

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** Plot c. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** Saturation photocurrent depends on intensity, which follows inverse square law with distance.

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