Planck's Law Formula:
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Planck's Law describes the spectral density of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a black body in thermal equilibrium at a given temperature. It provides the foundation for quantum theory and accurately predicts the spectrum of thermal radiation.
The calculator uses Planck's Law formula:
Where:
Explanation: The formula calculates the amount of radiation energy emitted by a blackbody per unit time, per unit surface area, and per unit wavelength at a specific temperature.
Details: Understanding spectral blackbody emissive power is crucial in thermodynamics, astrophysics, remote sensing, and thermal imaging applications. It helps predict how objects emit radiation based on their temperature and material properties.
Tips: Enter wavelength in meters and temperature in Kelvin. Both values must be positive numbers. For accurate results, use appropriate scientific notation for very small wavelengths.
Q1: What Is A Black Body?
A: A black body is an idealized physical body that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of frequency or angle of incidence. It is a perfect emitter and absorber of radiation.
Q2: Why Is Planck's Law Important?
A: Planck's Law revolutionized physics by introducing quantum theory and provides the most accurate description of thermal radiation spectra, forming the basis for many modern technologies.
Q3: What Are Typical Wavelength Ranges?
A: For thermal radiation applications, wavelengths typically range from ultraviolet (10⁻⁸ m) to far infrared (10⁻³ m), depending on the temperature of the emitting body.
Q4: How Does Temperature Affect The Spectrum?
A: Higher temperatures shift the peak of the radiation spectrum to shorter wavelengths (Wien's displacement law) and increase the total emitted radiation (Stefan-Boltzmann law).
Q5: What Are Real-World Applications?
A: Applications include thermal imaging, remote temperature sensing, astrophysics (studying stellar temperatures), and designing efficient thermal systems and materials.