Is black body radiation discrete?

The spectrum from a black body comprises discrete emissions over the full light spectrum. The temperature of the solid determines the peak of the spectrum. The emissions from a heated solid come from individual atoms and interactions between and among atoms of the solid.

Why does a black body emit a continuous spectrum?

All objects emit electromagnetic radiation according to their temperature. A black body is an idealized object that absorbs all electromagnetic radiation it comes in contact with. It then emits thermal radiation in a continuous spectrum according to its temperature.

What is the blackbody radiation curve?

The blackbody radiation curves have quite a complex shape (described by Planck’s Law). The spectral profile (or curve) at a specific temperature corresponds to a specific peak wavelength, and vice versa. The intensity (or flux) at all wavelengths increases as the temperature of the blackbody increases.

What does black body radiation look like?

The thermal radiation spontaneously emitted by many ordinary objects can be approximated as black-body radiation. When the object becomes a little hotter, it appears dull red. As its temperature increases further it becomes bright red, orange, yellow, white, and ultimately blue-white.

What are the properties of a black body?

As a consequence of this definition, the blackbody has three properties: (a) it is the surface that emits most for a given temperature and wavelength, (b) blackbody radiation does not depend on the direction, that is, blackbody radiation is diffuse, and (c) total blackbody radiation in a vacuum depends only on …

What does a blackbody curve tell about an observed object?

Each curve shows the intensity of radiation over a wide range of wavelengths emitted by a black body at a particular temperature. – amount of visible light -the higher the temperature of a blackbody, the shorter the wavelength of its maximum emission (peak).

What does the peak of a blackbody curve represent?

The peak of the blackbody curve in a spectrum moves to shorter wavelengths for hotter objects. If you think in terms of visible light, the hotter the blackbody, the bluer the wavelength of its peak emission.