O Physics: Bose-Einstein Condensates and Laser Cooling

[fredreload]

Heat is a type of energy that is transferable and increases thermal energy. Thermal energy is being released as infrared radiation hence the term heat vision. Does that mean heat is capable of producing so called black body radiation here. Is the infrared radiation caused by the photon emission of the objects or something else?

 

[Andrew Mason]

Heat is a type of energy that is transferable and increases thermal energy. Thermal energy is being released as infrared radiation hence the term heat vision. Does that mean heat is capable of producing so called black body radiation here. Is the infrared radiation caused by the photon emission of the objects or something else?

The human body will radiate energy and the frequency/energy spectrum of that radiation will be determined by the laws of blackbody radiation (Planck's law). The Wien's displacement law relates the peak wavelength of the radiation to the temperature of the blackbody. In the case of the human body which has a temperature of 37°C or 310K, the peak wavelength will be about 10 microns or 10,000 nm which is within the infrared range. Almost all radiation will be in the infrared region but there will be some very small amount of visible radiation.

The actual mechanism by which the photons are emitted or absorbed by groups of atoms is rather complex. Groups of atoms can absorb or emit photons by acting collectively and this involves phonon behaviour. Suffice it to say that groups of connected molecules that are moving about due to thermal motion will radiate electro-magnetic energy.

AM

 

[fredreload]

Hmm, I'm actually looking at the concept of laser cooling. At Bose-Einstein condensate the atom loses its individual identity, is it possible to reverse this process for atom to form again?

 

[fredreload]

It seems possible for it to return to its original state here.

 

[Andrew Mason]

Hmm, I'm actually looking at the concept of laser cooling. At Bose-Einstein condensate the atom loses its individual identity, is it possible to reverse this process for atom to form again?

This is quite a different question. You should start a new thread for this.

AM