The photoelectric effect is a phenomenon in which electrons are emitted from a material surface when it is exposed to light or other forms of electromagnetic radiation. To explain the photoelectric effect, both the wave and particle nature of light need to be considered.
When light interacts with matter, it exhibits particle-like behavior in the form of discrete energy packets called photons. Each photon carries a specific amount of energy, which is proportional to its frequency (E = hf), where E is the energy, h is Planck's constant, and f is the frequency of the light.
The energy of a photon determines its ability to transfer energy to the electrons in the material. In the photoelectric effect, electrons are ejected from the material when they absorb photons with sufficient energy to overcome the binding forces holding them in the material. The minimum energy required to release an electron is called the work function of the material.
The wave nature of light is relevant because it determines the frequency (and thus the energy) of the photons. Different frequencies of light correspond to different colors in the visible spectrum. When light is incident on a material, it interacts with the electrons in the material in a wave-like manner, leading to phenomena such as interference and diffraction. However, it is the particle-like nature of photons and their individual energies that determine whether or not electrons are ejected in the photoelectric effect.
In summary, the wave nature of light helps us determine the frequency (and hence energy) of photons, while the particle nature of light explains how individual photons transfer energy to electrons, leading to the photoelectric effect. Both aspects are necessary to fully understand and describe the phenomenon.