Summary
The quantized vibrations of the electromagnetic field are equivalent to a gas of bosons, the photons, non-interacting relativistic particles with zero rest mass, which can be created or annihilated by matter (§ 13.1.4). The thermal equilibrium of the radiation in an enclosure is characterized by the Planck distribution (13.42) of the energy as function of the frequency. The total energy and the pressure of the radiation vary as T4.
A nearly closed enclosure emits as a perfectly absorbing black body. Black bodies are those which radiate the most strongly, according to (13.44) and (13.45). Kirchhoiff’s law (13.54) which connects the luminance with the absorptivity helps to determine the radiation from other bodies, and has many practical applications.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2007 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
(2007). Equilibrium and Transport of Radiation. In: From Microphysics to Macrophysics. Theoretical and Mathematical Physics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45480-9_4
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-540-45480-9_4
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-45478-6
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-45480-9
eBook Packages: Physics and AstronomyPhysics and Astronomy (R0)