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Rayleigh–Jeans law
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Main page In physics, the Rayleigh–Jeans law attempts

Contents to describe the spectral radiance of
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electromagnetic radiation at all wavelengths
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from a black body at a given temperature
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through classical arguments. For wavelength
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2ckT
Interaction Bλ (T) = ,
4
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About Wikipedia where c is the speed of light, k is the
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Boltzmann constant and T is the temperature
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in kelvins. For frequency ν, the expression is
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instead Comparison of Rayleigh–Jeans law with Wien
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approximation and Planck's law, for a body of 8 mK
2ν2 kT
What links here Bν (T) = . temperature.
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Upload file The Rayleigh–Jeans law agrees with
Special pages experimental results at large wavelengths (low frequencies) but strongly disagrees at short
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wavelengths (high frequencies). This inconsistency between observations and the predictions of
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 wavelengths (high frequencies). This inconsistency between observations and the predictions of
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classical physics is commonly known as the ultraviolet catastrophe,[1][2] and its resolution was a
Cite this page foundational aspect of the development of quantum mechanics in the early 20th century.

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1 Historical development
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2 Comparison to Planck's law
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3 Consistency of frequency and wavelength dependent expressions
Languages 4 Other forms of Rayleigh–Jeans law
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5 See also
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6 References
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7 External links
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Français Historical development [edit]
Italiano In 1900, the British physicist Lord Rayleigh derived the λ−4 dependence of the Rayleigh–Jeans law
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based on classical physical arguments.[3] A more complete derivation, which included the
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日本語
proportionality constant, was presented by Rayleigh and Sir James Jeans in 1905. The Rayleigh–
Norsk bokmål Jeans law revealed an important error in physics theory of the time. The law predicted an energy
Polski output that diverges towards infinity as wavelength approaches zero (as frequency tends to
Português infinity) and measurements of energy output at short wavelengths disagreed with this prediction.
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Comparison to Planck's law [edit]
Українська In 1900 Max Planck empirically obtained an expression for black-body radiation expressed in terms
中文
of wavelength λ = c/ν (Planck's law):
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2 2

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 2hc2 1
Bλ (T) = ,
λ5 e
hc
λkT −1
where h is the Planck constant and k the Boltzmann constant. The Planck law does not suffer from
an ultraviolet catastrophe, and agrees well with the experimental data, but its full significance
(which ultimately led to quantum theory) was only appreciated several years later. Since,

x2 x3
e = 1+x+
x
+ +⋯.
2! 3!
then in the limit of very high temperatures or long wavelengths, the term in the exponential
becomes small, and the exponential is well approximated with the Taylor polynomial's first-order
term,
hc hc
e λkT ≈ 1 + .
λkT
So,
1 1 λkT
≈ = .
hc
e λkT − 1
hc hc
λkT

This results in Planck's blackbody formula reducing to

2ckT
Bλ (T) = ,
4
λ
which is identical to the classically derived Rayleigh–Jeans expression.

The same argument can be applied to the blackbody radiation expressed in terms of frequency
ν = c/λ. In the limit of small frequencies, that is hν ≪ kT ,

2h 3 / 2
2h 3 kT 2 2 kT

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 2hν3 /c2 2hν3 kT 2ν2 kT
Bν (T) = ≈ ⋅ = .
hν
c 2 hν c 2
e kT − 1
This last expression is the Rayleigh–Jeans law in the limit of small frequencies.

Consistency of frequency and wavelength dependent expressions

[edit]

When comparing the frequency and wavelength dependent expressions of the Rayleigh–Jeans law
it is important to remember that

dP/dλ = Bλ (T), and

dP/dν = Bν (T)
Therefore,

Bλ (T) ≠ Bν (T)
even after substituting the value λ = c/ν, because Bλ (T) has units of energy emitted per unit
time per unit area of emitting surface, per unit solid angle, per unit wavelength, whereas Bν (T)
has units of energy emitted per unit time per unit area of emitting surface, per unit solid angle, per
unit frequency. To be consistent, we must use the equality

Bλ dλ = dP = Bν dν
where both sides now have units of power (energy emitted per unit time) per unit area of emitting
surface, per unit solid angle.

Starting with the Rayleigh–Jeans law in terms of wavelength we get

dν
Bλ (T) = Bν (T) ×
dλ
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 where

( )=− .
dν d c c
=
dλ dλ λ λ2
This leads us to find:
2
2kT( λc ) c 2ckT
Bλ (T) = × = .
c2 2
λ λ4

Other forms of Rayleigh–Jeans law [edit]

Depending on the application, the Planck Function can be expressed in 3 different forms. The first
involves energy emitted per unit time per unit area of emitting surface, per unit solid angle, per unit
frequency. In this form, the Planck Function and associated Rayleigh–Jeans limits are given by

2c2 h 2ckT
Bλ (T) = ≈
λ5 hc
e λkT − 1 λ4
or

2hν3 /c2
2kTν2
Bν (T) = hν ≈
e kT − 1 c2
Alternatively, Planck's law can be written as an expression I(ν,T) = πBν (T) for emitted power
integrated over all solid angles. In this form, the Planck Function and associated Rayleigh–Jeans
limits are given by

2πc2 h 2πckT
I(λ,T) = ≈
λ5 hc
e λkT − 1 λ4
or
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 2πhν2 /c2
2πkTν2
I(ν,T) = ≈
hν
e kT − 1 c2
4π
In other cases, Planck's Law is written as u(ν,T) = c
Bν (T) for energy per unit volume (energy
density). In this form, the Planck Function and associated Rayleigh–Jeans limits are given by
8πc h 8πkT
u(λ,T) = ≈
λ5 hc
e λkT − 1 λ4
or

8πhν3 /c3 8πkTν2

u(ν,T) = ≈
hν
e kT − 1 c3

See also [edit]

Stefan–Boltzmann law
Wien's displacement law
Sakuma–Hattori equation

References [edit]
1. ^ Astronomy: A Physical Perspective, Mark L. Kutner pp. 15
2. ^ Radiative Processes in Astrophysics, Rybicki and Lightman pp. 20–28
3. ^ Astronomy: A Physical Perspective, Mark L. Kutner pp. 15

External links [edit]

Derivation at HyperPhysics

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 Categories: Foundational quantum physics Obsolete scientific theories

This page w as last modified on 23 September 2014 at 23:18.

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