blackbody
Theoretical radiation source
A blackbody is a theoretical object that absorbs all electromagnetic radiation falling on it and emits radiation based solely on its temperature.
No real object is a perfect blackbody, but the concept is fundamental in physics for understanding thermal radiation: The cosmic microwave background approximates blackbody radiation at 2.7 kelvin.
Stars are often modeled as blackbodies to estimate their temperatures.
Equal temperature throughout system
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- heatTransferred thermal energy
- entropyQuantified chaos in systems
- emissivityThermal radiation ratio
absorptivity · cavity resonator · isothermal · heat capacity · specific heat · calorimetry · radiant heating · thermography
Electromagnetic waves from temperature
- emissivityThermal radiation ratio
- absorptivityFraction of light taken in
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- emissionDischarged substance or act
absorption · radiant energy · energy density · luminosity · intensity · isotropic · monochromatic · continuum
Quantum theory's founder
- quantum mechanicsPhysics at nanoscopic scales
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- quantizationConversion to discrete values
- quantum theoryDiscrete-energy framework for subatomic phenomena
All radiation frequencies ordered
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- visible lightRadiation the eye detects
- ultravioletWavelengths shorter than violet
infrared · spectroscopy · spectrometer · dispersion · spectral analysis · far-infrared · near-infrared · gamma rays
Earth's primary star
- starsLuminous celestial bodies
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
- neutron starUltradense stellar remnant
- white dwarfExhausted star's compact corpse
thermal equilibrium
Equal temperature throughout system
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- heatTransferred thermal energy
- entropyQuantified chaos in systems
emissivity · absorptivity · cavity resonator · isothermal · heat capacity · specific heat · calorimetry · radiant heating · thermography · thermopile
thermal radiation
Electromagnetic waves from temperature
- emissivityThermal radiation ratio
- absorptivityFraction of light taken in
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
emission · absorption · radiant energy · energy density · luminosity · intensity · isotropic · monochromatic · continuum · irradiance
Planck
Quantum theory's founder
- quantum mechanicsPhysics at nanoscopic scales
- photonElectromagnetic radiation unit
- quantizationConversion to discrete values
electromagnetic spectrum
All radiation frequencies ordered
- wavelengthSpatial repetition interval
- frequencyRate of recurrence
- visible lightRadiation the eye detects
ultraviolet · infrared · spectroscopy · spectrometer · dispersion · spectral analysis · far-infrared · near-infrared · gamma rays
sun
Earth's primary star
- starsLuminous celestial bodies
- luminosityIntrinsic brightness of source
- neutron starUltradense stellar remnant
- heatheat transfer, thermal energy, heatwave, radiation, convection
- Radiometryradiance, radiant energy, irradiance, radiometer, fluence
- Simplificationsideal gas, frictionless, point source, free fall, elastic collision
- Thermal Radiationthermal radiation, radiant heat, infrared radiation, infrared, emissivity
- radiation
- Heat conceptsmelting, evaporation, conduction, convection, boiling