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QPage 393: Q3: HC Verma: Concepts of Physics - Volume 2 X-Rays Page 393: Q3 Solution: Can X-rays be used for photoelectric effect?

⚠️ Common Exam Traps & Conceptual Pitfalls

Students often assume the photoelectric effect is limited to visible light and that X‑rays are too energetic, forgetting that the effect occurs whenever a photon’s energy exceeds the electron’s binding energy ($h\nu > \phi$ or inner‑shell binding); thus X‑rays can indeed eject electrons, as exploited in X‑ray photoelectron spectroscopy.

Can X-rays be used for photoelectric effect?

Step-by-Step Verified Solution

**Answer:** Yes, X-rays can be used for the photoelectric effect. **Step-by-Step Explanation:** X-rays are electromagnetic radiation with high photon energies. When they fall on a metal surface, they can eject electrons from the inner shells. This is the basis for X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) [citation:2].

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