Stefan Boltzmann law is applicable for heat transfer by

Conduction and radiation combined

According to the Stefan-Boltzmann law of thermal radiation for a perfect radiator, the rate of radiant energy per unit area is proportional to

the fourth power of the temperature of that radiator

the temperature of that radiator

the square of the temperature of that radiator

the cube of the temperature of that radiator

Gray body can emits radiation

at lower rate than the black body

at higher rate than the black body

at equal rate than the black body

Stefan Boltzmann Law - Derivation, Formula, Equation, Examples

What is Stefan Boltzmann Law?

According to Stefan Boltzmann law, the amount of radiation emitted per unit time from an area A of a black body at absolute temperature T is directly proportional to the fourth power of the temperature.

u/A = σT⁴ . . . . . . (1)

where σ is Stefan’s constant = 5.67 × 10^-8 W/m²k⁴

A body that is not a black body absorbs and hence emit less radiation, given by equation (1)

For such a body, u = e σ AT⁴ . . . . . . . (2)

where e = emissivity (which is equal to absorptive power) which lies between 0 to 1.

With the surroundings of temperature T₀, net energy radiated by an area A per unit time.

Δu = u – u_o = eσA [T⁴ – T₀⁴] . . . . . . (3)

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Stefan Boltzmann Law relates the temperature of the blackbody to the amount of power it emits per unit area. The law states that;

“The total energy emitted/radiated per unit surface area of a blackbody across all wavelengths per unit time is directly proportional to the fourth power of the black body’s thermodynamic temperature. ”

Derivation of Stefan Boltzmann Law

The total power radiated per unit area over all wavelengths of a black body can be obtained by integrating Plank’s radiation formula. Thus, the radiated power per unit area as a function of wavelength is:

\frac{dP}{d\lambda }\frac{1}{A}=\frac{2\pi hc^{2}}{\lambda ^{5}\left ( e^{\frac{hc}{\lambda kT}}-1 \right )}

Where,

P is Power radiated.
A is the surface area of a blackbody.
λ is the wavelength of emitted radiation.
h is Planck’s constant
c is the velocity of light
k is Boltzmann’s constant
T is temperature.

On simplifying Stefan Boltzmann equation, we get:

\frac{d\left ( \frac{P}{A} \right )}{d\lambda }=\frac{2\pi hc^{2}}{\lambda ^{5}\left ( e^{\frac{hc}{\lambda kT}}-1 \right )}

On integrating both the sides with respect to λ and applying the limits we get;

\int_{0}^{\infty }\frac{d\left ( \frac{P}{A} \right )}{d\lambda }=\int_{0}^{\infty }\left [ \frac{2\pi hc^{2}}{\lambda ^{5}\left ( e^{\frac{hc}{\lambda kT}}-1 \right )} \right ]d\lambda

The integrated power after separating the constants is:

\frac{P}{A}=2\pi hc^{2}\int_{0}^{\infty }\left [ \frac{d\lambda }{\lambda ^{5}\left ( e^{\frac{hc}{\lambda kT}}-1 \right )} \right ]

—(1)

This can be solves analytically by substituting:

x = $\frac{hc}{\lambda kT}$

Therefore, $dx=-\frac{hc}{\lambda^{2} kT}d\lambda$

⇒ $h=\frac{x\lambda kT}{c}$

⇒ $c=\frac{x\lambda kT}{h}$

⇒ $d\lambda=-\frac{\lambda^{2} kT}{hc}dx$

As a result of substituting them in equation (1)

\Rightarrow \frac{P}{A}=2\pi \left ( \frac{x\lambda kT}{c} \right )\left (\frac{x\lambda kT}{h} \right )^{2}\int_{0}^{\infty }\left [ \frac{\left ( -\frac{\lambda^{2}kT}{hc} \right )dx}{e^{x}-1} \right ]

= $2\pi \left ( \frac{x^{3}\lambda^{5} k^{4}T^{4}}{h^{3}c^{2}\lambda ^{5}} \right )\int_{0}^{\infty }\left [ \frac{dx}{e^{x}-1} \right ]$

= $\frac{2\pi \left ( kT \right )^{4}}{h^{3}c^{2}}\int_{0}^{\infty }\left [ \frac{x^{3}}{e^{x}-1} \right ]dx$

The above equation can be comparable to the standard form of integral:

\int_{0}^{\infty }\left [ \frac{x^{3}}{e^{x}-1} \right ]dx=\frac{\pi ^{4}}{15}

Thus, substituting the above result we get,

\frac{P}{A}=\frac{2\pi \left ( kT \right )^{4}}{h^{3}c^{2}}\frac{\pi ^{4}}{15}

\Rightarrow \frac{P}{A}=\left ( \frac{2 k^{4}\pi ^{5}}{15h^{3}c^{2}}\right )T^{4}

On further simplifying we get,

⇒ P/A = σ T⁴

Thus, we arrive at a mathematical form of Stephen Boltzmann law:

⇒ ε = σT⁴

Where,

ε = P/A

\sigma =\left ( \frac{2 k^{4}\pi ^{5}}{15h^{3}c^{2}}\right )=\left ( 5.670\times 10^{8}\;\frac{watts}{m^{2}K^{4}} \right )

This quantum mechanical result could efficiently express the behavior of gases at low temperature, that classical mechanics could not predict!

Problems on Stefan Boltzmann Law

Example: A body of emissivity (e = 0.75), the surface area of 300 cm² and temperature 227 ºC are kept in a room at temperature 27 ºC. Using the Stephens Boltzmann law, calculate the initial value of net power emitted by the body.

Using equation (3);

P = eσA (T⁴ – T₀⁴)

= (0.75) (5.67 × 10^-8 W/m² – k⁴) (300 × 10^-4 m²) × [(500 K)⁴ – (300 K)⁴]

= 69.4 Watts.

Example 2: A hot black body emits the energy at the rate of 16 J m^-2 s^-1 and its most intense radiation corresponds to 20,000 Å. When the temperature of this body is further increased and its most intense radiation corresponds to 10,000 Å, then find the value of energy radiated in Jm^-2 s^-1.

Solution:

Wein’s displacement law is, λ_m.T = b

i.e. T∝ [1/ λ_m]

Here, λ_m becomes half, the Temperature doubles.

Now from Stefan Boltzmann Law, e = sT⁴

e₁/e₂ = (T₁/T₂)⁴

⇒ e₂ = (T2/T1)⁴ . e₁ = (2)⁴ . 16

= 16.16 = 256 J m^-2 s^-1

Stefan Boltzmann law - Formula, Derivation

What is Stefan Boltzmann Law?

Derivation of Stefan Boltzmann Law

Problems on Stefan Boltzmann Law

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