Wien’s law

⋆ Content
Understanding Wien's law
⋆ Definitions
⋆ Stefan-Boltzmann law
⋆ How Wien's law and the stefan-boltzmann law are
related
⋆ Examining Wien's law through real-life examples
⋆ Wien's law - key takeaways
⋆ Worked examples
 DEFINITIONS:
 Black body radiator is a theoretical object which
absorbs all radiation that lands on it.
 Luminosity is the rate at which energy of all types is
radiated by an object in all directions.( SI unit is Watts)
 Black body is a hypothetical perfect absorber and
radiator of energy with no reflecting power.
 Intensity is the power per unit area.( SI unit is Watts per
Metre square)
 Understanding Wien's Law
⋆ Wien's Law, named after physicist Wilhelm Wien, is the concept for understanding
black-body radiation and the behavior of a particular type of ideal radiator known as a
black body.

⋆ The Wien’s displacement law states that “the peak wavelength of emitted radiation is
inversely proportional to the absolute temperature of the object”.

⋆ The formula for Wien's Law is derived by considering a black body in thermal
equilibrium. Mathematically, it's expressed as:

• where: λmax is the peak wavelength, T is the black body's temperature (in Kelvin),
and b is Wien's displacement constant (approximately ).
For example picture a hot star like Sirius. Its
curve on the graph would peak high on the left
side, meaning it emits high intensity short
wavelengths of light. Conversely, a cooler star
like Proxima Centauri would have a lower curve
peaking further right, emitting higher intensity of
light of higher wavelengths.
The higher the temperature of the black body, the
greater the intensity of light emitted at all
wavelengths.
 Wien’s law shows that the peak wavelength of a black body decreases as
the absolute temperature increases, this will lead to an increase in the
frequency since frequency is inversely proportional to wavelength:

substitute equation (i) to equation (ii)

 So, the shorter the wavelength of the EM radiation, the higher its energy.
Short wavelength, high frequency radiation like x-rays have the highest
energy while long wavelength, low frequency radiation like radio waves
have the lowest energy.
These curves also explain what we observe from a radiating body:

 At low temperatures, the peak is in infra-red (or longer) wavelengths. The intensity in the visible
range is too small to be noticeable. We do not see any light emitted from the body.
 As the temperature increases, the peak wavelength moves towards the visible range. We see the body
glowing red (as red has the longest visible wavelength). With further increases, the peak wavelength
moves to orange, then yellow wavelengths.
 As the peak moves towards the center of the visible range, with the peak in the green wavelengths,
the high intensity across the visible spectrum makes the body appear to glow white-hot
 At higher temperatures still, the peak moves towards the blue end of the spectrum.

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 Stefan-Boltzmann Law
⋆ The law states that “the power output from a black body is
directly proportional to its surface area and the fourth power of
its temperature in kelvin.”
E = A σT4
where :

⋆ E- radiant heat energy

⋆ A- surface area of the black body

⋆ σ- Stefan-Boltzmann constant ( 5.67 x W)

⋆ T- absolute temperature
 This graph shows that a black
body with a higher absolute
temperature has a more
prominent peak of energy output
at a shorter wavelength of light.
 It also shows that black bodies
with a higher absolute
temperature have greater
maximum energy outputs
compared to black bodies with
lower absolute temperatures.
 Comparison and contrast of Wien's law from
Stefan-Boltzmann's law
⋆ Both laws apply to ideal blackbodies and offer valuable insights into
blackbody-temperature relationships.
⋆ Wien's Law is used to estimate the temperature of stars based on their
observed color (e.g., blue stars hotter than red stars). Stefan-
Boltzmann Law is used to calculate the total amount of energy
radiated by stars and planets, understand the greenhouse effect, and
analyze blackbody radiation curves.
⋆ Wien's Law emphasizes the spectral distribution of energy, while
Stefan-Boltzmann Law focuses on the total energy output.
 Limitations of Wien’s law

⋆ Wien's Law assumes perfect absorption and emission at all wavelengths, which
isn't true for real objects. Their non-ideal emissivity can lead to inaccurate
temperature estimations.
⋆ Wien's Law only tells us about the peak intensity, neglecting the complete
distribution of energy across the spectrum. This can be limiting for detailed
analysis.
⋆ The derived equation primarily applies to the visible range. Using it directly for
infrared or ultraviolet might require adjustments or additional considerations.
 Applications of Wien's Law in Field of
Astronomy
⋆ It allows astronomers to approximate the surface temperature of stars
based on the peak wavelength of radiation they emit. This is because
hotter stars emit light at shorter wavelengths, while cooler stars emit
light at longer wavelengths. For example, a blue star is hotter than a red
star.
⋆ Wien's Law can be used to study the lifecycle and properties of stars, as
well as other objects like galaxies and nebulae. For example, by
studying the colors of stars in a galaxy, astronomers can learn about the
galaxy's age and composition.
⋆ Wien's Law can also be used to estimate the temperature of other
objects, such as planets and asteroids. For example, by measuring the
infrared radiation emitted by a planet, astronomers can estimate its
surface temperature.
Examining Wien's Law Through Real-Life
Examples
 Take an electric stove element for example. At first, as it starts heating up, it will simply feel hot
without necessarily showing visible signs of heat. But as you continue to add heat, it will
eventually begin to glow, typically starting with a dull red. This is because the amount of heat
energy is enough to cause it to emit visible light. As the temperature increases, the colours
change from red to yellow and ultimately to white - exactly as predicted by Wien's Law.

 Every glowing object has a temperature corresponding to the colour of the light it emits. This
phenomenon is a direct result of Wien's Law. All objects follow this principle.
 Wien's Law - Key takeaways

 Wien's Law, in essence, is a distillation of three key

principles:
I. The intensity of black-body radiation increases as the temperature rises.
II. The peak of this radiation occurs at a specific wavelength.
III. This peak wavelength is inversely proportional to the black body's temperature
 The mathematical formula for Wien's Law is:
Explain the difference between the luminosity and the intensity of a star.

Luminosity is the rate at which energy of all types is radiated by an object in

all directions intensity is the power incident per unit area. Intensity depends on

the distance from a star

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 Sources
⋆ Edexcel IAL physics student book 2 pg 198
⋆ https://byjus.com/
answer/according-to-wien-s-displacement-law
⋆ https://pmt.physicsandmathstutor.com/
wien-s-displacement-law.pdf
⋆ https://
www.savemyexams.com/revision-notes/9-thermodynamics/blac
k-body-radiation/law
⋆ https://
www.studysmarter.co.uk/explanations/engineering/engineering-
thermodynamics/wiens-law
 Thanks!

By Aabarsh, Dhruv and priyen