3

Quantum Mechanics

However we have objects or bodies which are close to perfect black body. One such example is Ferys
black body (shown in Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Ferys Black body

Fery suggested that if we take a double jacketed sphere whose inside is coated with lamp black or
soot and a small hole is made for the radiation to enter it we will get a body which will absorb a very
large part of the radiation entering it. He also suggested that if an angular wedge coated with lamp black
or soot is placed opposite to the hole then the most of the radiation falling on it will be absorbed and the
part which is not absorbed is reflected. After first reflection the major portion of the reflected light will
be absobed at the point of incedence and the remaining part is reflected again. The process continues till
whole of the radiation entering the spherical body is completely absorbed. The wedge is placed in order
to avoid direct reflection of the radiation. Its exterior is completely insulated from surroundings so as to
avoid the loss of radiation in the form of heat.
It must be remembered that a perfect black body is a perfect absorber.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY BLACK BODY RADIATION ?

All solids emit radiation. The emission or radiation is due to vibrations of particles comprising the
solid. Emission of radiation takes place at all the temperatures. However, at different temperatures we
get different radiations. The frequency of the radiation is directly proportional to the temperature of the
solid. This means at low temperature the emitted radiations are of low frequency and at temperature the
emitted radiations are of high frequency.
The frequency of the radition emitted by any solid depends upon the temperature of the solid and
does not depend upon the nature of the material of which the solid is made up of.
However it is observed that rate of emission of radiation at a given temperature is not same for
solids. It depends upon the absorbing power of the solid. This means if a solid absorbs more it will emit
at a faster rate. From this we can say that the emission rate is maximum in case of a perfect black body
since it is a perfect absorber.
In other words, we can say that a good absorber is a good emitter and a poor absorber is a poor
emitter. We can also say that a black body is a perfect absorber as well as a perfect emitter.
From the above discussion we can define black body as any object that completely absorbs all the
radiations falling on it, it is also a perfect emitter of radiation.
The radiations emitteded by a black body is called blackbody radiations. It should be noted that
the two words black and body must be used as a single word when we describe the term blackbody
radiation.

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B.Sc. III (Vth Semester)

HOW ARE BLACKBODY RADIATIONS EMITTED ?

If we have a black body at a temperature below the temperature of the surrounding then on
heating, it starts glowing from inside but does not give away any energy to the surrounding untill the
thermal equilibrium is attained. After attaining the thermal equilibrium state it stops absorbing energy as
it can maintain its temperature without absorbing any external heat energy. At this stage radiations of all
types are emitted by the inner walls of the black body.
These radiations which are emitted by a black body at a particular temperature are called Blackbody
radiations.
These blackbody radiations are produced due to vibrations of constituent particles which are also
known as the oscillators.

QUALITATIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ABSORBANCE AND EMITTANCE

We know that all bodies absorb radiations falling on them and they also emit radiations. The amount
of radiation emitted by a body is proportional to the amount of radiation absorbed by it. This means the
perfect black body in thermodynamic equilibrium which absorbs all the radiation falling on it will emit all
the radiations. In simple words the absorbance and emittance in case of a perfect black body are 100%.
On the other hand in case of a body which is not a perfect black body the absorbance and emittance are
equal but are less than 100%.
This can be illustrated by a simple experiment as follows:
Let us take a thermally insulated box at a temperature T. Since the box is thermally insulated so the
temperature of the box will remain constant. The whole space inside the box is filled with the radiation
emitted by the walls of the box. The walls of the box are continuously absorbing and emitting the
radiations. Now hang two balls, one white (W) and one black (B) with the help of hooks in the box.

Fig. 2. A black (B) and a white ball (W) suspended in an enclosure kept at uniform
temperature
These balls will absorb and emit radiations. After some time the temperature of both the balls will
become equal to the temperature of the box i.e. T and will remain constant there after as long as the
thermal equilbrium is maintained. Since one ball is white and other is black and they absorb to different
extent then how is it possible that they have the same temperature, T. This can be explained as:
Once thermal equilibrium is attained black body being perfect absorber will absorb 100% and also
emit 100%. So there is no change in its temperature i.e. its temperature remains at T. Similarly, white
ball will absorb and emit same amount of radiation (though less than 100%) so its temperature also
remains the same i.e. T. This means the quotation that a good absorber is a good emitter, and a poor

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