Why doesn the photoelectric effect generate more than one electron that is emitted from the surface?
A. In order to emit more than one electron we firstly need a photon with at least twice the work function energy for the photocathode – try to put some numbers in and work out what wavelength photon we would need to have twice the minimum work function energy (work func. >1.25eV). Secondly we need 3 ‘particles’ to interact in order to emit 2 electrons (if the photon has enough energy). Statistically this 3 ‘particle’ interaction is far less likely than the 2 ‘particle’ interaction where one electron is emitted.
