Light - Black-bodies & Spontaneous / Stimulated Emission.

In summary, a black body is an object that absorbs all radiation and emits radiation at all wavelengths. Spontaneous emission is when an atom releases energy without external influence, while stimulated emission occurs when an incoming photon triggers an already excited atom to release a second photon. In lasers, stimulated emission creates a coherent beam of light. Fluorescence is a type of spontaneous emission where the emitted photon has a longer wavelength than the absorbed photon. Black bodies are important in thermodynamics for understanding thermal radiation and energy transfer, described by Planck's law.
  • #1
EspressoDan
13
3
Hello,

I have a short question:

In relation to the Sun - is Black-body radiation ultimately the result of a combination of spontaneous (majority) and stimulated (minority) emission of photons?
In relation to the IR emissions from everyday objects due to their temperature - is Black-body radiation from the result of spontaneous emission?

If not, could somebody point me to a good description of why Blackbody radiation and Spontaneous emission are ultimately different? The internet is confused on the issue.

Thank you for any answers.

Dan
 
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1. What is a black body?

A black body is an idealized object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of wavelength or angle of incidence. It also emits radiation at all wavelengths, making it a perfect emitter of thermal radiation.

2. What is the difference between spontaneous and stimulated emission?

Spontaneous emission is the process by which an excited atom or molecule releases energy in the form of a photon without any external influence. Stimulated emission, on the other hand, occurs when an incoming photon interacts with an already excited atom, causing it to release a second photon with the same energy, phase, and direction as the incoming photon.

3. How does stimulated emission contribute to the production of laser light?

In a laser, a population inversion is created in a medium, meaning that there are more excited atoms or molecules than there are in the ground state. When a photon of the correct energy enters the medium, it triggers stimulated emission, causing a cascade of photons to be released. This results in a coherent, monochromatic beam of light - the laser.

4. What is the difference between spontaneous emission and fluorescence?

Fluorescence is a specific type of spontaneous emission in which the emitted photon has a longer wavelength than the absorbed photon. This occurs when the excited atom or molecule returns to a lower energy state through a non-radiative process, followed by a radiative process to release the remaining energy as a photon.

5. How do black bodies relate to the study of thermodynamics?

Black bodies are important in thermodynamics because they provide a theoretical framework for understanding the principles of thermal radiation and energy transfer. The behavior of black bodies can be described by Planck's law, which helps explain the relationship between temperature and the spectrum of radiation emitted by a body.

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