The photoelectric effect could not be adequately explained with a wave model of light because
A)the energy of the electrons ejected from a metal varied directly with the intensity.
B)the number of electrons ejected from a metal depended upon the intensity.
C)the number of electrons ejected from a metal depended upon the wavelength.
D)the energy of the ejected electrons did not depend upon the intensity.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The photoelectric effect showed that the energy of the ejected electrons was dependent on the frequency (or wavelength) of the incident light, not its intensity, which contradicted the predictions of the wave model of light. This led to the development of the photon model of light, where light is considered as particles (photons) with energy proportional to their frequency.

The Photoelectric Effect Could Not Be Adequately Explained with a Wave