Formación para la Investigación

Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias

Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

BLACK BODY RADIATION AND

EXPERIMENTAL MODELS THEREOF
Diana Carolina Delgado Flórez. Group C1 – Industrial Eng.
Andrés Felipe Martínez Ordoñez. Group C1 – Mechanical Eng.

Yamid Leandro Sánchez Antolinez. Group J1 – Civil Eng.

.

You may have to know the dark before you can appreciate the light
Madeline L’Engle.

Abstract
This report is made in order to study the experimental relationships of Wien and Stefan Boltzmann
determining their constants. In the first part, to deduce the Wien law of displacement it is necessary to
obtain the wavelengths at which the maximum radiation of the spectrum occurs at different temperatures,
and in the second part the Stefan-constant Boltzmann shall be determined by measuring the area under
the spectra curve at different temperatures.

INTRODUCTION
This practice report was carried out in order to analyze spectral radiance curves or power density of
different black bodies, from the experimental models of Wien and Stefan-Boltzmann, while it is true the
radiation of a black body opened the doors to modern physics, many researchers failed to look for an
explanation for the radiation of hot bodies, until Planck found an answer and his postulate was that the
energy of an oscillator is proportional to the frequency of radiation emitted or absorbed. Observing the
radiation spectra to corroborate the displacement laws of Wien and Stefan Boltzmann using SpectraPlot
and PhET simulators to obtain different radiation spectra as a function of wavelength.

This research project is divided into three methodological phases, focusing on the data taken from the
PhET simulator focusing on analyzing spectral luminosity or power density curves of different black bodies,
from the experimental model of the experimental model’s authors.

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 Formación para la Investigación
Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

METHODOLOGY
Phase 1: Spectral radiance or power density measurement with the PhET simulator to obtain spectral
radiance curves at different temperatures.

Initially, to obtain spectral power density curves we vary the temperature from 200 °K to 11000 °K with
temperature range of 50 °K. obtaining from the simulator the following data and options:

 The curve coordinates values (wavelength, power density).

 Labels with electromagnetic spectrum range names.
 The area under the curve of the spectral power density curve.
Figure 1: Spectral radiance curves at 4100 °K.

Source: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/blackbody-spectrum/latest/blackbody-spectrum_es.html

Figure 2: Spectral radiance curves at 4700 °K.

Source: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/blackbody-spectrum/latest/blackbody-spectrum_es.html

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 Formación para la Investigación
Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

Phase 2: Measurement of spectral radiance or spectral power density maxima and their wavelengths.

Now, after selecting the temperature and obtaining the spectrum in phase 1, the coordinates will be
obtained: wavelength or power density, recording the data obtained in table 1 of the worksheet according
to the PhET simulator, for the 6 different temperature values.

At the end of this phase, the Wien displacement law will be checked. With the data in table 1, a curve
of 𝜆−1
𝑚𝑎𝑥 vs T (°K), which must be adjusted with a linear regression to find the constant of the Wien law of
displacement.
Figure 3: Wavelength at which the maximum spectral radiance is produced.

Source: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/blackbody-spectrum/latest/blackbody-spectrum_es.html

Figure 4: Wavelength at which the maximum spectral radiance is produced.

Source: https://phet.colorado.edu/sims/html/blackbody-spectrum/latest/blackbody-spectrum_es.html

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 Formación para la Investigación
Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

Phase 3: Obtaining radiance or radiant flow.

Next in the PhET simulator, the Intensity option will appear just below the box above, the value of
𝑊
radiant intensity or flux in [𝑚2 ]. Recording data in table 2 for 6 different temperatures.

Finally, doing a linear regression of 𝐼 vs T4 We found Stefan-Boltzmann’s constant and corroborate

compliance with his law.

DATA TREATMENT
Checking Wien’s displacement law using the PhET simulator.
Table 1. Wavelength of maximum spectrum.
𝑻 [𝑲] 𝑴𝑾 𝝀𝒎𝒂𝒙 [𝝁𝒎]
𝑬𝒆 𝒎𝒂𝒙 [ ]
𝝁𝒎 ∗ 𝒎𝟐
4000 13,18 0,724
4100 14,91 0,707
4200 16,82 0,690
4300 18,92 0,674
4400 21,22 0,659
4500 23,74 0,644
4600 26,50 0,630
4700 29,51 0,617

𝑊
Determination of the Stefan-Boltzmann constant. With the PhET simulator, intensity 𝐼 is obtained in [ ].
𝑚2

Table 2. Temperature, intensity.

𝑻 [𝑲] 𝑾
𝑰 [ 𝟐]
𝒎
4000 1,45 × 107
4100 1,60 × 107
4200 1,76 × 107
4300 1,94 × 107
4400 2,13 × 107
4500 2,33 × 107
4600 2,54 × 107
4700 2,77 × 107
4800 3,01 × 107

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 Formación para la Investigación
Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

ANALYSIS OF RESULTS
Relationship between temperature and 1/𝝀.

Tempetarure vs 1/𝝀
4800

4700

4600
y = 2915,1x - 25,626
4500

4400
T °K

4300

4200

4100

4000

3900
1,35 1,4 1,45 1,5 1,55 1,6 1,65

1/𝜆 [𝜇𝑚-1]

To perform linear regression, we get the following equation:

𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥 ∙ 𝑇 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡
1
𝑇 = 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑠𝑡𝑎𝑛𝑡 ∙ [ ]
𝜆𝑚𝑎𝑥

𝑦 = 𝑚𝑥 + 𝑏

In this equation Wien’s law for the verification of the law of displacement is shown, where the slope
corresponds to the value of the constant and the independent term is an experimental adjustment.

Experimental constant = 2,9151 𝑥10−3 [𝑚𝐾]

Theoretical constant = 2.898𝑥10−3 [𝑚𝐾]

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 Formación para la Investigación
Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

Ratio of spectral power intensity or density to temperature.

Intensity vs Temperature
35000000
y = 6E-08x - 55972
30000000

25000000
𝐼 [W/m2]

20000000

15000000

10000000

5000000

0
0 2E+14 4E+14 6E+14
T °K4

To perform linear regression, we get the following equation:

𝐼 = (6 × 10−8 )(𝑇 4 ) − 55972

In this equation he shows the form that the Stefan-Boltzmann law for a black body, where the slope
corresponds to the value of the Stefan-Boltzmann constant and the independent term is an experimental
fit.

Experimentally obtaining the Stefan-Boltzmann agent the value of:

𝑊
𝜎𝑒𝑥𝑝 = 6 × 10−8 [ ]
𝑚2 𝐾 4
And the theoretical value:
𝑊
𝜎𝑡𝑒𝑜 = 5.67𝑥10−8 [ ]
𝑚2 𝐾 4

The relationships between the physical quantities present in the Wien and Stefan-Boltzmann
displacement laws are not directly linear.

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 Formación para la Investigación
Escuela de Física, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad Industrial de Santander
Construimos Futuro

CONCLUSIONS
We were able to analyze the spectra of black bodies at different temperatures and from them
corroborate the experimental laws of displacement of Wien and Stefan-Boltzmann.

It was understood how the wavelength of the maximum spectral radiance or power density changes as
the black body temperature increases or decreases, as the temperature decreases, the peak of the black
body radiation curve moves at lower intensities and longer wavelengths.

With the maximum spectral radiance or power density when the black body temperature increases and
the temperature produces a decrease in the wavelength at which the maximum spectral radiance occurs.

It could be deduced from Planck’s law that the radiation of a black body describes the electromagnetic
radiation emitted by a black body at thermal equilibrium at a defined temperature.

REFERENCES
SERWAY, R. A. (1992). PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS WITH MODERN PHYSICS / Raymond A.
Serway. Philadelphia : Saunders College Pub., 1992. Recovered from
http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=cat00066a&AN=BUIS.1-
131923&lang=es&site=eds-live