Entropy of Blackbody Radiation

In summary, the conversation is discussing the calculation of entropy for cavity radiation, which is given as 1.7x10-8 J K-1 m-3 in a book. The person asking the question is confused about how the volume (V) is being used in the formula and their calculations do not match the book. The other person suggests dividing the answer by the volume to get the correct unit of entropy per unit volume (J m-3). The person asking the question thanks the other person for their help.
  • #1
roam
1,271
12

Homework Statement



The following is from a book:

"Terrestrial radiation, T=255 K. Emitted flux ≈ 240 W m-2. Energy density for cavity radiation ≈ 3x10-6 J m-3. Entropy for cavity radiation ≈ 1.7x10-8 J K-1 m-3."

I can't understand how they have calculated the Entropy.

The Attempt at a Solution



So, I can't understand when calculating the entropy using [itex]S=\frac{4}{3} aT^3V[/itex], what value they were using for "V"? V has to be the volume of the blackbody and we are treating Earth as one. So I used the volume of Earth, however my calculations do not match the book.

From Kirchhoff’s Law aλ = ελ. And

[itex]Flux \ = \ \frac{ac}{4} T^4 = \sigma T^4 \implies a = 7.56 \times 10^{-16}[/itex]

[itex]S= (4/3)(7.56 \times 10^{-16})(255)^3(1.083206 \times 10^{21}) = 1.8105 \times 10^{13}[/itex]

The results are very different. I was wondering if I'm missing something here or the book is wrong? :confused:

Any help is appreciated.
 
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  • #2
I think you should calculate it for unit volume means calculate s/v.I think that's all and moreover have you seen the unit of entropy which is given to you
 
  • #3
andrien said:
I think you should calculate it for unit volume means calculate s/v.I think that's all and moreover have you seen the unit of entropy which is given to you

What do you mean? The formula clearly say that I must multiply things by "V", not divide by it. If I divide I get 1.5430e-29 which is wrong.
 
  • #4
I mean divide the answer you are getting by 1.083206*10^21.(1.8105*10^13)/(1.083206*10^21)=1.7*10^-8j k-1m-3.this is because the answer of book is per unit volume.
 
  • #5
Thank you, I see what you mean now... they were after the entropy per volume (J m-3). Thanks! :)
 

What is the definition of entropy of blackbody radiation?

The entropy of blackbody radiation is a measure of the disorder or randomness of the radiation emitted by a perfect blackbody. It is a thermodynamic quantity that describes the number of ways in which the energy of the radiation can be distributed among its different modes.

How is the entropy of blackbody radiation related to the temperature of the blackbody?

The entropy of blackbody radiation is directly proportional to the temperature of the blackbody. As the temperature of the blackbody increases, the number of available energy states also increases, leading to an increase in entropy.

What is the significance of Planck's law in relation to the entropy of blackbody radiation?

Planck's law, which describes the spectral energy distribution of blackbody radiation, is directly related to the entropy of the radiation. This law states that the amount of radiation emitted at a certain wavelength is proportional to the temperature and the number of available energy states at that wavelength, which is directly related to the entropy.

What are the units of entropy of blackbody radiation?

The units of entropy of blackbody radiation are Joules per Kelvin (J/K). This represents the amount of energy per unit temperature that is required to increase the entropy of the blackbody by one unit.

How does the entropy of blackbody radiation change with the size of the blackbody?

The entropy of blackbody radiation is independent of the size of the blackbody. This is because the entropy is a thermodynamic property that only depends on the temperature and energy of the system, not its size. However, the total amount of radiation emitted by a blackbody is proportional to its surface area, so a larger blackbody will emit more radiation, but the entropy per unit temperature will remain the same.

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