In the photoelectric effect, what happens to the incident photon?

Study for the Dental Radiology Foundation Chain and Physics Test. Enhance your skills with flashcards and multiple-choice questions, complete with hints and explanations. Prepare for your success!

The photoelectric effect happens when a photon is absorbed by a bound electron, using its energy to overcome the electron’s binding energy and to give the ejected electron its kinetic energy. The incident photon does not continue on as a separate particle; it ceases to exist after transfer of its energy. Any energy above the binding energy becomes the electron’s kinetic energy. So the correct description is that the photon is completely absorbed. The other options describe scattering, splitting, or transmission, which do not apply to this interaction.