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Consider figure for photoemission. How would you reconcile with momentum - conservation? Note light (photons) have momentum in a different direction than the emitted electrons.

PhysicsDual Nature of Matter
Solution:
1586 Upvotes Verified Answer
During photoelectric emission, when photons strike to metal surface, photons transfer their momentum to atoms of metal by decreasing its own speed upto zero. At microscopic level, atoms of a metal absorb the photon and its momentum is transferred mainly to the nucleus and electrons.
The excited electron is emitted. So, the conservation of momentum is to be considered as the momentum of incident photon transferred to the nucleus and electrons.

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