I've been learning about photoelectricity. An electron can gain the energy from a single photon, and if that energy is greater than the work function of the metal the electron can leave the metal. However I was under the impression that the electrons in the metal are responsible for holding the nuclei in the metal together?
Surely if the metal is exposed to light, where the photons have more energy than the work function, for long enough (or very intense light), all/majority of the electrons will leave the metal and no longer be holding the nuclei together.
Also will the work function increase with time, as there are less and less electrons, so the ratio of positive nuclei to negative electrons increases and the electrons are more attracted to the nuclei, so more energy is required to break that attraction?
(addtionally, how come the photoelectric effect is not noticed in daily life, with metals becoming positively charged just by being in light?)