Black body formulae confusion

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  • #1
sss1
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Homework Statement
Below
Relevant Equations
In the pictures
Im getting confused between the differences of all of these formulas.
I googled spectral radiance black body and all of the first four pictures came up. They represent the intensity of radiation at a particular wavelength right, or the y-axis of the black body radiation curve? So if I integrate this formula I should get the total intensity? Or the total area under the black body radiation curve? One of the pictures has frequency as the variable instead of wavelength tho? Is it finding the same thing but for when I'm given frequency instead of wavelength? And somehow the rest of the three pictures all have different numerators...?
And the last formula, which finds the radiated power for a specific wavelength, why does it have a delta lambda in it? Kinda confused on where it comes about. I understand that spectral radiancy has units Watts/m^3, so it makes sense to have A and delta lambda, because that has units m^3. But why not have lambda instead of delta lambda? And also if i integrated that formula it will give me Stefan Boltzmann's law? The total power radiated?
 

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  • #2
sss1 said:
Homework Statement: Below
Relevant Equations: In the pictures

Im getting confused between the differences of all of these formulas.
I googled spectral radiance black body and all of the first four pictures came up. They represent the intensity of radiation at a particular wavelength right, or the y-axis of the black body radiation curve? So if I integrate this formula I should get the total intensity? Or the total area under the black body radiation curve? One of the pictures has frequency as the variable instead of wavelength tho? Is it finding the same thing but for when I'm given frequency instead of wavelength? And somehow the rest of the three pictures all have different numerators...?
And the last formula, which finds the radiated power for a specific wavelength, why does it have a delta lambda in it? Kinda confused on where it comes about. I understand that spectral radiancy has units Watts/m^3, so it makes sense to have A and delta lambda, because that has units m^3. But why not have lambda instead of delta lambda? And also if i integrated that formula it will give me Stefan Boltzmann's law? The total power radiated?

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Unfortunately, the way you have posted those images they cannot be clicked to reveal the whole text. If you cannot figure out how to do it, post the links.
 
  • #3
haruspex said:
Unfortunately, the way you have posted those images they cannot be clicked to reveal the whole text. If you cannot figure out how to do it, post the links.
Does it work now?
 
  • #5
haruspex said:
I had a look at the table and tried calculating the spectral radiancy using both frequency and wavelength, but got different answers?
I used these two formulas.
The wavelength I used was 966e-9m, and so the frequency should be (3e8)/(966e-9) Hz?
 

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  • #6
sss1 said:
I had a look at the table and tried calculating the spectral radiancy using both frequency and wavelength, but got different answers?
I used these two formulas.
The wavelength I used was 966e-9m, and so the frequency should be (3e8)/(966e-9) Hz?
##B_\nu## is the spectral emissive power per unit area, per unit solid angle and per unit frequency. ##B_\lambda## is per unit wavelength.
I.e. ##B_\nu d\nu## is the total spectral emissive power per unit area, per unit solid angle for the frequency range ##(\nu,\nu+d\nu)##, etc.
Hence ##B_\nu =B_\lambda|\frac{d\lambda}{d\nu}|=B_\lambda\frac{c}{\nu^2}##.
If you make that substitution, and ##\nu=\frac c{\lambda}##, you should see one equation turn into the other.
 
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1. What is the black body formula and why is it confusing?

The black body formula, also known as Planck's law, is a mathematical equation that describes the spectral energy density of electromagnetic radiation emitted by a black body at a given temperature. It is often used in physics and astronomy to study the properties of stars and other celestial bodies. However, it can be confusing because it involves complex mathematical concepts and variables.

2. How is the black body formula used in science?

The black body formula is used in science to study the thermal radiation emitted by objects at different temperatures. It is also used to calculate the energy distribution of light emitted by stars and other celestial bodies, which helps scientists understand their composition, temperature, and other properties.

3. What are the main variables in the black body formula?

The main variables in the black body formula are the temperature of the black body, the wavelength of the emitted radiation, and Planck's constant. These variables are used to calculate the energy density of the radiation and its distribution across different wavelengths.

4. What are some common misconceptions about the black body formula?

One common misconception about the black body formula is that it only applies to black objects. In reality, it can be used to describe the radiation emitted by any object at a given temperature. Another misconception is that the formula can only be used for thermal radiation in the visible light spectrum, when in fact it can be applied to all wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation.

5. How can one better understand the black body formula?

To better understand the black body formula, it is helpful to have a background in physics and mathematics. It is also important to understand the concepts of temperature, energy, and electromagnetic radiation. Additionally, practicing with different examples and applications of the formula can help improve understanding.

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