Blackbody Spectrum

Blackbody Spectrum Screenshot
  • Blackbody
  • Planck's Law
  • Wien's Law
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Topics

  • Blackbody
  • Planck's Law
  • Wien's Law
  • Electromagnetic Radiation
  • Quantum Mechanics
  • Astronomy

Description

How does the blackbody spectrum of the sun compare to visible light? Learn about the blackbody spectrum of Sirius A, the sun, a light bulb, and the earth. Adjust the temperature to see the wavelength and intensity of the spectrum change. View the color of the peak of the spectral curve.

Sample Learning Goals

  • Describe what happens to the blackbody spectrum as you increase or decrease the temperature. What happens to the shape of the curve and the peak of this curve?
  • Describe the blackbody spectrum of a light bulb. Why do light bulbs get hot? Do they seem efficient?
  • Imagine that you see 2 hot, glowing objects--one is glowing orange and the other is glowing blue. Which one is hotter?
  • Find the relationship between the temperature and the wavelength at the peak of the curve.
Version 2.02

Teacher Tips

Download teacher tips PDF Overview of sim controls, model simplifications, and insights into student thinking ( PDF ).

Teacher-Submitted Activities

Visualization and Visual Illusions SIM Homework A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. This contribution was designed by PhET. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Intro HW Physics
Blackbody Radiation and Wien's Law A gold star indicates high-quality, inquiry-based activities that follow the PhET design guidelines. Michael Pennisi HS Lab Physics
How do PhET simulations fit in my middle school program? This contribution was designed by PhET. Sarah Borenstein MS Other Biology
Chemistry
Earth Science
Physics
PhET Sims Aligned to the Chemistry Curriculum This contribution was designed by PhET. Julia Chamberlain HS
UG-Intro
Other Chemistry
Blackbody Spectrum & Lasers Simulations Homework This contribution was designed by PhET. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman HS
UG-Intro
HW Physics
Blackbody Spectrum Simulation Homework This contribution was designed by PhET. Kathy Perkins, Carl Wieman UG-Adv
UG-Intro
HW Physics
Mapping of PhET and IBDP Physics Jaya Ramchandani HS Other Physics
MS and HS TEK to Sim Alignment Elyse Zimmer MS
HS
Other Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Temperature and Radiation Activity Dorian McIntire UG-Intro
HS
Lab
HW
Physics
Astronomy
Other
Temperature and Luminosity of Stars: Wein's Law and the Stephan Boltzmann Law Rhoda Berenson UG-Intro Lab Astronomy
Blackbody Radiation updated from Michael P. michael marty HS Lab
Demo
Black Body Radiation: Seeking Patterns in Data Sets Roberto Marrero HS Lab Chemistry
Solar Astronomy Mark Kelly HS Lab
HW
Astronomy
Blackbody Spectrum Curt Miller HS Lab Physics
흑체 스펙트럼 SIM 사용지침서 이화국(Wha Kuk Lee) HS
MS
Lab
Demo
Chemistry
Earth Science
Physics
Astronomy
Ley de Wien y de Stephan-Boltzmann José Saldaña UG-Intro
HS
Lab Physics
Astronomy

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Design Team Third-party Libraries Thanks To
  • Michael Dubson (developer/lead)
  • Kathy Perkins
  • Interviewer: Wendy Adams