Answer to Question #19219 in Physical Chemistry for naeim vhora

Question

what is stopping potential?

Answer 1

The stopping potential is the potential (energy/unit charge) or (Joules/Coulomb) that must be applied to stop the electrons from being ejected from the surface when the light is shone on it. If the energy of the incident photon is greater than the work required to remove the electron from the surface plus the applie (-) potential, electrons will leave the surface with some kinetic energy. The stopping potential is the applied potential that makes this KE = 0

qV(s) = E(photon) - q(work function)
V(s) = hv/q - work function
V(s) = stopping potential
hv/q is same thing as hc/q(lambda)