What causes peaks to appear on the spectra of ejected electrons?

Peaks in the spectra of ejected electrons are primarily a result of radiation absorption. When photons interact with a material, they can transfer enough energy to electrons, causing them to be ejected from their respective atoms. The specific energies of the incident radiation that are absorbed correspond to the energy levels of the electrons in the atoms, resulting in distinct peaks in the spectra that represent these transitions.

These peaks can indicate the energy levels from which electrons are ejected, allowing one to deduce information about the electron configuration and the bonding environment within the atoms or molecules. When electrons are knocked out, the remaining atomic or molecular structure can be significantly influenced by this process, contributing to features observed in the spectra.

While factors like electronic transitions, geometric influences, and temperature variations can affect other aspects of solid-state and molecular interactions, they do not directly cause the peaks in electron ejection spectra. The peaks specifically arise from the quantized energy levels of electrons absorbing radiation and transitioning to a higher energy state or being completely ejected from the atom.