# Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distributio

1. ### RedMech

13
1. The problem statement:

Using Wien's law ρ(λ,T)=f(λ,T)/λ^5, show the following:

(a) The total emissive power is given by R = aT4 (the Stefan-Boltzmann law),
where a is a constant.
(b) The wavelength λmax at which ρ(λ,T) - or R(λ,T) - has its maximum is such that λ*T = b (Wien's displacement law), where b is a constant.

2. Relevant equations:

ρ(λ,T)=f(λ,T)/λ^5
ρ(λ,T)=c1/(λ^5*exp{c2/λT})

3. The attempt at a solution:

So I tried integrating Wien's equation from zero to infinity
ρ(total)dλ=c/4∫ρ(λ,T)dλ=c/4∫[f(λ,T)/λ^5]dλ. But I got nowhere.

Then I used the full expression of wien's law and tried the integration again
ρ(total)dλ=c/4∫[c1/(λ^5*exp{c2/λT})]dλ

Last edited: Aug 15, 2012
2. ### vela

12,842
Staff Emeritus
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

Without an explicit form for f(λ,T), you can't integrate this, as you probably realized.

This approach should work. How did you try to integrate this? I'd try a substitution like u=1/λ and see where it goes.

3. ### RedMech

13
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

I substituted x=c2/λT for the sake of the exponential term.
dx=[-c2/λ^2T]dλ. The integral has become w=(c1*c*T^4)/4c2^4∫[x^3/e^x]dx (Please note that for c1 and c2, the 1 and 2 are subscripts of c. The independent c is the speed of light)

How is this equation looking?

Last edited: Aug 15, 2012
4. ### vela

12,842
Staff Emeritus
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

Do you recognize that integral? Think gamma function. In any case, it's a definite integral, so it's just some number.

5. ### RedMech

13
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

I'll compute the integral and then leave the final expression for my instructor. Thanks a million for your help.

6. ### TSny

6,455
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

Wien's law is actually ρ(λ,T)=f(λT)/λ5 where f is an undetermined function of the product of λ and T. Using this, see if you can get the integral to yield a constant times T4.

7. ### Humdinger

2
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

@TSny, I was wondering if you might be able to give me a small hint in regards to how to proceed with this problem only using the ρ(λ,T)=f(λT)/λ5 form of Wien's law. I tried integration by parts but that just led to a more convoluted expression. I see that you underlined the phrase "product of λ and T" but I'm still not sure how to handle the f(λT) term in the integral.

8. ### dextercioby

12,298
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

That calls for a substitution (change of variable) which would throw out of the integral exactly T to the power of 4.

9. ### Humdinger

2
Re: Using Wien's radiation law to derive the Stephan-Boltzmann law and Wien's distrib

Thank you dextercioby, my mistake was in assuming that I need to find the unknown function f(λT). I was able to figure out the answer based on your hint.