According to the way the understanding of the phenomena is laid down here deviations from Stokes' rule are conceivable in the following cases:
- When the number of energy quanta per unit of volume that are simultaneously involved in the transformation is so large that the energy quantum of the generated light can receive the energy of several exciting energy quanta.
- When the generating (or generated) light does not have the energy characteristics of "black body radiation" that is in the realm of validity of Wien's law, when for instance the exciting light is generated by a body of such high temperature that for the wavelengths considered Wien's law is no longer valid.
The last mentioned possibility merits special attention. According to the developed understanding it cannot be excluded that a "non-Wienian radiation", even in high dilution, would behave energetically differently from a "black body radiation" within the validity range of Wien's law.
On the Generation of Cathode Rays by Illumination of Solid Bodies
The usual understanding, that the energy of light is distributed over the space through which it travels in a continuous way encounters extraordinarily large difficulties in attempts to explain photo-electric phenomena, as has been presented in the groundbreaking article by Mr. Lenard. [1].
According to the understanding that the exciting light consists of energy quanta of energy (R/N)βν the generation of cathode rays by light can be conceived as follows. Quanta of energy penetrate the surface layer of the solid, and their energy is transformed, at least partially, in kinetic energy of electrons. The simplest picture is one where the light quantum gives its entire energy to a single electron; we assume that this will occur. However, it must not be excluded that electrons accept the energy of light quanta only partially. An electron that has been loaded with kinetic energy
- ↑ P. Lenard, Ann. d. Phys. 8. p.169 u. 170. 1902.
