Why does blackbody radiation have a continuous spectrum?

Whenever a blackbody emits radiation, it corresponds to an electron jumping from higher energy state to a lower energy state and because of this an electron in excited state has a very large number of ‘energy levels below’, it can jump into any of the empty states giving a continuous spectrum.

Is black body radiation continuous spectrum?

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.

How can an understanding of blackbody radiation allow us to determine the temperature of distance stars?

In other words, λ max is the wavelength at which a blackbody radiates most strongly at a given temperature T. Note that in Equation 6.1, the temperature is in kelvins. Wien’s displacement law allows us to estimate the temperatures of distant stars by measuring the wavelength of radiation they emit.

What is the reason that hot dense objects glow in a continuous range of wavelengths?

The continuous spectrum from these kinds of objects is also called a thermal spectrum, because hot, dense objects will emit electromagnetic radiation at all wavelengths or colors. Any solid, liquid and dense (thick) gas at a temperature above absolute zero will produce a thermal spectrum.

Why does the blackbody radiation have a continuous spectrum while atomic emission have discrete spectrum?

Why does black body radiation have a continuous spectrum while atomic emissions have discrete spectrum? Black body radiation has spectrum given by planks law, which it emits when excited. An atomic spectrum is also obtained from excited atoms but is discrete.

Why are stars Blackbodies?

A star is considered to be an example of a “perfect radiator and perfect absorber” called a black body. Stars are good approximations to a black body because their hot gases are very opaque, that is, the stellar material is a very good absorber of radiation.

Why does black body radiation have a continuous spectrum while atomic emissions have discrete spectrum?

Why is thermal radiation continuous?

Such spectra are emitted by any warm substance. Since electrons are much lighter than atoms, irregular thermal motion produces irregular oscillatory charge motion, which reflects a continuous spectrum of frequencies. …

What happens to thermal radiation continuous spectrum if you make the source hotter?

When an electron in an atom jumps from a high-energy orbital to a lower-energy one, what happens? What can cause an electron to jump from a low-energy orbital to a higher-energy one? What kind of spectrum does a hot gas produce? If all colors (a continuous spectrum) pass through a gas, what kind of spectrum do you get?

What is a continuous spectrum of electromagnetic radiation mean?

A continuous spectrum contains many different colors, or wavelengths, with no gaps. Perfectly white light shined through a prism causes dispersion of the light, and we see a rainbow. This is a continuous spectrum.