Definition of photoelectric
: involving, relating to, or utilizing any of various electrical effects due to the interaction of radiation (such as light) with matter
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Recent Examples of photoelectric from the Web
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In other business, council authorized Fire Chief Patrick Sweeney to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for a $25,000 Fire Prevention and Safety Grant to purchase optical or photoelectric smoke detectors.
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Classical physics held that light was a wave, but that theory couldn’t explain how and why metals emit electrons when illuminated—a phenomenon called the photoelectric effect.
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After spending about a bajillion chapters on optics, the authors start talking about the photoelectric effect.
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Genius is an in-depth dramatic look at the life and career of the theoretical physicist who, among other things, explained the photoelectric effect that made the invention of television possible.
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Genius is an in-depth dramatic look at the life and career of the theoretical physicist who, among other things, explained the photoelectric effect that made the invention of television possible.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'photoelectric.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
What Is the photoelectric Effect?
The photoelectric effect *occurs when light (or similar radiation such as X-rays) falls on a material such as a metal plate and causes it to emit electrons. The discovery of the photoelectric effect led to important new theories about matter (and to a Nobel Prize for Albert Einstein). *Photoelectric cells, *or *photocells, are used in burglar-alarm light detectors and garage-door openers (both employ a beam of light that is broken when something moves across it), and also to play soundtracks on movie film (where a light beam shines through the soundtrack encoded on the film and is "read" by the photocells).
Origin and Etymology of photoelectric
International Scientific Vocabulary
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: circa 1879
in the meaning defined above
See Words from the same yearPHOTOELECTRIC Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of photoelectric for English Language Learners
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: involving, relating to, or using an electric current that is controlled by light
Medical Dictionary
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Spanish Central: Translation of photoelectric Nglish: Translation of photoelectric for Spanish speakers
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