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I am familiar that the there is a similar question , but elaborating my question " In the photoelectric effect the electron absorbs only a part of the photon 's energy which is needed for liberating the electron and the rest is used as the kinetic energy , why or how can this be possible because I believe that if u pass a photon through an atom , either a) the electron absorbs this energy ( keeping in mind that the energy required is exactly equivalent to the energy required to liberate the electron from its ground state ) or b) it passes through the electron .

I am a beginner learning quantum mechanics so I might have some kinks and problems in my understanding that I hope you can solve them .

Aarushi Agarwal
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The basic reason is because the photoelectric effect happens in metals,and depends on the electron solutions within metalic solids .

In the band theory of solids, a quantum model useful in studying solid state physics, electrons are bound in bands.

bandth

In metals, there are electrons in the conduction band, which are considered "free" to move through the whole metal lattice. They are very weakly bound to the solid metal. These electrons, when interacting with an incoming photon have a large probability to escape the solid .

So the interaction is not with a bound in an atom electron,(valence band) but with the almost free electrons of the conduction band.

anna v
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