Black Body Distribution Function and Emissivity

S W McKnight C A DiMarzio

Blackbody Distribution Function

10
4

10

T=6000 K

M (W cm-2 -1)

10

10

-2

10

-4

10

-1

10

10 Wavelength ()

10

Meaning of Distribution Function

How much energy is emitted at =550 nm?
=550.0? =550.000000000?

Me, d = energy emitted between and +d per unit area Me, = dNe, / d where Ne, is energy emitted for wavelengths less than

Effect of Emissivity

1 =1 blackbody <1 greybody

Radiative Thermal Equilibrium

Greybody in thermal equilibrium with enclosure

T1

T2

Thermal Equilibrium T1 = T2

Relation between Emissivity and Absorption: A(, T)

For optically thick sample, A=1-R (R=reflectivity)

Detailed Balance
Greybody in thermal equilibrium with enclosure

T1

T2

Wavelength selective filter

Detailed Balance
Second Law of Thermodynamics implies that T1 must remain equal to T2
(Cannot create heat gradient without applying work)

At each wavelength: (, T) = A (, T) Same argument applies to non-normal incidence: (, , T) = A (, , T) For optically dense object:
(, , T) = 1 - R(, , T)

Emissivity of Materials
Highly reflective materials are low emissive materials
(Reflective materials in visible are not necessarily reflective in IR)

Vacuum thermos bottles are coated with reflective metal So why are house radiators painted silver?
To look nice?