A student makes the following statements about the radiation emitted by stellar objects - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 7 - 2017
Question 7
A student makes the following statements about the radiation emitted by stellar objects.
I Stellar objects emit radiation over a wide range of frequencies.
II The... show full transcript
Worked Solution & Example Answer:A student makes the following statements about the radiation emitted by stellar objects - Scottish Highers Physics - Question 7 - 2017
Step 1
I Stellar objects emit radiation over a wide range of frequencies.
96%
114 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
This statement is correct. Stellar radiation covers a spectrum of frequencies, from radio waves to gamma rays, due to the wide variety of processes that emit radiation in stars.
Step 2
II The peak wavelength of radiation is longer for hotter objects than for cooler objects.
99%
104 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
This statement is incorrect. According to Wien's Law, the peak wavelength of radiation emitted by a black body is inversely proportional to the temperature. Thus, hotter objects have shorter peak wavelengths.
Step 3
III At all frequencies, hotter objects emit more radiation per unit surface area per unit time than cooler objects.
96%
101 rated
Only available for registered users.
Sign up now to view full answer, or log in if you already have an account!
Answer
This statement is correct. The Stefan-Boltzmann Law states that the total energy radiated per unit surface area is proportional to the fourth power of the temperature of the object. Therefore, hotter objects indeed emit more radiation.
Join the Scottish Highers students using SimpleStudy...