Photoelectric effect, phenomenon in which electrically charged particles are released from or within a material when it absorbs electromagnetic radiation. The effect is often defined as the ejection of electrons from a metal plate when light falls on it.
The photovoltaic effect is a process that generates voltage or electric current in a photovoltaic cell when it is exposed to sunlight. It is this effect that makes solar panels useful, as it is how the cells within the panel convert sunlight to electrical energy.
As you see above, these are different subjects.
No, the photoelectric effect and the photovoltaic effect are not the same.
The photoelectric effect refers to the phenomenon where electrons are emitted from a material when it absorbs light of a certain frequency or higher. This effect was first discovered by Heinrich Hertz in 1887 and explained by Albert Einstein in 1905, and it has important applications in fields such as physics and electrical engineering.
On the other hand, the photovoltaic effect refers to the generation of an electric current in a material when it is exposed to light. This effect is the basis for solar cells, which convert sunlight directly into electricity. The photovoltaic effect was first observed by French physicist Alexandre-Edmond Becquerel in 1839, but it was not until the 1950s that practical solar cells were developed.
So while both effects involve the interaction of light and materials, they are distinct phenomena with different applications and mechanisms.
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