Question

The theorectical model predicted by the blackbody radiation curve would give better agreement with the experimental data at lower temperatures. True of False, please explain

Answer 1

The energy of blackbody radiation is not shared evenly by all wavelengths of light. The spectrum of blackbody radiation (below) shows that some wavelengths get more energy than others. Three spectra are shown, for three different temperatures. (One of the curves is for the surface temperature of the Sun, 5770 K.)

Here are some experimental facts about blackbody radiation:

a. The blackbody spectrum depends only on the temperature of the object, and not on what it is made of. An iron horseshoe, a ceramic vase, and a piece of charcoal --- all emit the same blackbody spectrum if their temperatures are the same.

b. As the temperature of an object increases, it emits more blackbody energy at all wavelengths.

c. As the temperature of an object increases, the peak wavelength of the blackbody spectrum becomes shorter (bluer). For example, blue stars are hotter than red stars.

d. The blackbody spectrum always becomes small at the left-hand side (the short wavelength, high-frequency side).