Planck's Radiation Law and Stefan's Law

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on the derivation of Planck's Radiation Law and Stefan's Law, specifically addressing the formation of standing waves in an enclosure with perfectly reflecting walls. It is established that standing waves are formed due to Maxwell's boundary conditions, which dictate that the electric fields at the interface must be equal. Additionally, the application of thermodynamic principles to radiation is justified by the fact that radiation occupies a finite space, exerts pressure, and can perform work, similar to an ideal gas.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of Maxwell's boundary conditions
  • Familiarity with Planck's Radiation Law
  • Knowledge of Stefan-Boltzmann Law
  • Basic principles of thermodynamics
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  • Study Maxwell's equations and their implications for wave behavior
  • Explore the derivation of Planck's Radiation Law in detail
  • Investigate the relationship between radiation pressure and ideal gas behavior
  • Learn about the applications of thermodynamics in non-ideal systems
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Physicists, thermal engineers, and students studying thermodynamics and electromagnetic theory will benefit from this discussion, particularly those interested in the principles governing radiation and its thermodynamic properties.

manofphysics
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I have got 2 questions:
1)In the derivation of Planck's Radiation Law,we assume an enclosure of perfectly reflecting walls which contains diffuse radiations.These are EM waves which reflect from the walls.
Now, in my book(or even http://thermalhub.org/topics/DerivationofPlancksLaw"), it is further said that standing waves are formed which limit the wavelength to
\lambda=2l/n_{i}.
Now why are ONLY standing waves formed ?Any type of wave can be formed after reflection from the walls.Why are taking the assumption that displacement at the end of walls is zero?

2)In the derivation of Stefan's Law as given by Boltzmann, why can we apply all the thermodynamic relation and thermodyanamic laws ? Does radiation behave exactly like a gas?
I know that pressure of diffuse radiation is similar to that exerted by a ideal gas, but I STILL can't understand how and why thermodyanmics is used in radiations?
 
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I am disappointed . No reply after over 200 views.

I found out the answer myself.For all the people who didn't know,

1)This is due to Maxwell's boundary conditions at an interface.
E_{1}^{||}-E_{2}^{||}=0
where E_{1}, E_{2} represent fields in air and conductor respectively.

2)As radiation occupies a finite space and exerts finite pressure, and hence can do work,
So we can apply thermodynamics in this case.
 

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