What phenomenon describes the emission of electrons from a material due to light absorption?

The phenomenon that describes the emission of electrons from a material due to light absorption is known as the photoelectric effect. This effect occurs when photons, which are particles of light, strike the surface of a material, typically a metal. When the energy of the incoming photons exceeds the work function (the minimum energy needed to release an electron from the surface of the material), electrons are emitted from the material.

The photoelectric effect demonstrates the particle-like behavior of light; it established the idea that light has quantized energy levels, where each photon carries a discrete amount of energy proportional to its frequency. This concept was crucial in the early development of quantum mechanics as it illustrated the interaction between light and matter at a fundamental level.

The other phenomena mentioned are distinct processes that do not primarily involve the emission of electrons due to light absorption. The Compton effect refers to the scattering of X-rays and gamma rays by electrons, which results in a change in wavelength and energy of the photons but does not lead to emission of electrons in the same manner as the photoelectric effect. The thermal effect pertains to heat transfer and material response to temperature changes, while quantum tunneling describes the probability of a particle crossing through a potential barrier, which is unrelated to the process of