Which method can force electrons out of their orbit?

When considering how to force electrons out of their orbit, light is indeed the most effective method among the options provided. The phenomenon behind this is known as the photoelectric effect. When photons, or packets of light energy, strike an atom with sufficient energy, they can transfer this energy to the electrons. If this energy surpasses the binding energy holding the electron in its orbit, the electron can be ejected from the atom entirely.

This principle is foundational in various applications, including photovoltaic cells, where light energy is converted into electrical energy, and in certain types of sensors that rely on the detection of light to measure intensity or changes in conditions.

While other options like friction, magnetism, and heat can influence or generate movement and changes in materials, they do not directly eject electrons from their orbits in the same manner that light does. Friction can cause charge separation, magnetism can affect moving charges, and heat can impart kinetic energy, yet none offer the targeted effect of displacing electrons due to energetic photons.