Abstract
Einstein undertook the analysis of the photoelectric effect in the light of the quantum hypothesis and showed that it explained accurately the results of experiments on this phenomenon, which were not consistent with the predictions of classical (nonquantum) electromagnetic theory. The reality of the quantum concept thus established, Niels Bohr undertook to use quantum principles to explain the existence and character of the discrete spectroscopic lines observed.
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In this context the nature or “interpretation” of the quanta does not appear to be at issue. This has been pointed out by D.C. Jones (Eur. J. Phys. 15, 170–175, 1994). But whether the quanta be particle or wave, the mechanism for the exchange of energy between field and electron remains to be specified. For the “particle” model, this is initially unspecified.
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© 1996 Springer-Verlag New York, Inc.
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Wallace, P.R. (1996). Analysis of the Photoelectric Effect. In: Paradox Lost. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4014-3_4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-4014-3_4
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
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