MISSION ATLAS #10 · THE HELIOS INCIDENT — EPISODE 1 · THE PHOTOELECTRIC EFFECT
⚛️ QUANTUM RESCUE: The Photoelectric Key
Station HELIOS-7 · Mercury orbitEinstein 1905 · Nobel 1921ONE relationship: K = hf − W
🎯 Learning target
Master ONE relationship — the photoelectric equation: Kmax = hf − W = 1240/λ[nm] − W [eV] Used by hand in every stage: forward, inverse, and to identify an unknown metal.
⚠️ Misconception to break
"Brighter light gives electrons more energy." No: intensity only changes HOW MANY photons arrive. Energy is paid per photon, E = hf. Below the work function, a floodlight achieves nothing.
🧪 Model & assumptions (stated honestly)
Clean metal surfaces in vacuum · teaching value hc ≈ 1240 eV·nm (exact: 1239.84) · work functions are standard teaching values · stopping potential Vs[V] equals Kmax[eV] numerically · electron flight animation slowed ~10⁹× (real transit: nanoseconds) — the physics itself is never altered.
Difficulty generous tolerances
📐 Key formulas (given)
E_photon = h·f = hc/λ = 1240/λ[nm] [eV]
K_max = E_photon − W
V_s [V] = K_max [eV] (numerically)
threshold: emission only if E_photon > W
electron speed: v = √(2K/mₑ)
🎓 Curriculum — 4 doors
1️⃣ Airlock · Watch — see intensity fail, frequency win 2️⃣ Lab · Predict — compute E & K; numbers arm the laser 3️⃣ Reactor · Inverse — pick λ for a target K 4️⃣ Core · Crisis — unknown coating, 90 s, identify & unlock Bronze+ opens the next door.
Controls
Space fire · Enter commit · P pause · R reset stage · H hint. Each door opens with a 🧠 reasoning question. Wrong submissions −2 pts.
🏅 How scoring works
Every stage: answer the reasoning question, then compute and commit a number. Your medal is set by accuracy — 🥇 under 5% · 🥈 under 10% · 🥉 under 20% error — and a Bronze or better unlocks the next stage. A wrong answer costs −2 points (−1 on Easy, and your first reasoning slip on each question is free on Easy). A hint costs −3/−4/−5. Fewer tries and higher accuracy mean a higher score — so it always pays to calculate, not guess.