Tutorial (Blackbody radiation)

1. Explain the term “ultraviolet catastrophe”.

2. Explain how Classical theory fail to explain the experimentally observed spectrum of the
blackbody radiation.
3. What modifications did Planck suggested in order to explain the experimentally observed
spectrum of the blackbody radiation.
4. The temperature of two perfect blackbodies A and B are 400 K and 200 K, respectively.
Calculate the ratio of total power emitted by A to that of B if the surface area of body A is
twice that of body B.
5. A metal is heated to the point of emitting red visible light at a temperature of 4100 K.
Estimate the wavelength of light at the peak of the blackbody spectrum emitted by this
metal
6. A metal sphere 4 cm in diameter whose emissivity is 0.25 is heated in a furnace to 500 oC.
At what rate does the metal radiate? (Given: Boltzmann constant is 5.67 x 10-8 W/m2K4).
7. Maximum wavelength emitted by blackbody radiation at 1600 K is 2 μm, calculate the
wavelength of the spectrum if temperature is raised to 2000 K.
8. A yellow star emits light with peak intensity at a wavelength of 580 nm. Estimate the
Kelvin temperature of the star.
9. Assume that the sun is modeled as perfect blackbody with Power radiated equal to 3.85 x
1026 W, calculate the sun’s temperature. Also calculate wavelength of its maximum
emission by using Wien’s displacement law. (Given: Boltzmann constant is 5.67 x 10-8
W/m2K4 and radius of the sun is 6.96 x108 m)
10. Show that at high frequency or low wavelength (i.e λ << hc/kT) Planck’s law is reduced to
Wien’s law.
11. Show that at low frequency or high wavelength (i.e λ >> hc/kT) Planck’s law is reduced to
Rayleigh Jeans law.