geniusjohn5 wrote:I'm not sure when to use the Stefan Boltzmann equation, Wien's Displacement Law, and the Planck equation. Can anyone elaborate what each equation is used for and how to use it?
Stefan-Boltzmann Equation: This equation gives the amount of energy radiated each second per unit area at a given temperature. Therefore, if the question gives you temperature and you are asked to look for power or luminosity, you know you are dealing with energy and you can go ahead and use this formula. Questions that require the use of this law can be pretty diverse, but most of the time they deal with planetary equilibrium temperature (which isn't too bad if you practice a bit). Key Words: temperature, power, luminosity, emissivity, area, planetary equilibrium.
Wien's Law: This is possibly the most basic of the three. For a given temperature, Wien's Law gives the peak wavelength at which radiation is emitted from a blackbody. Therefore if you are given temperature and asked to find wavelength (or vice versa) then you know you have to use this law. Questions that test this tend to be pretty straightforward and easy to identify. Key Words: temperature, wavelength.
Planck Function: You'll almost never have to calculate anything with the Planck function; you'll mainly have to answer basic conceptual questions about it. For example, if you integrate the Planck Function over all wavelengths then you get the Stefan-Boltzmann equation. Personally, I would just try to have a good conceptual understanding of this. Key Words: spectral density, EM radiation, blackbody.