White dwarf stars have been observed with a surface temperature as hot as 200,000 o C. What is the wavelength of the maximum intensity produced by this star?
help please don't know what to do
To determine the wavelength of the maximum intensity produced by a white dwarf star with a surface temperature of 200,000 °C, you can use Wien's displacement law. This law states that the wavelength of maximum intensity (λmax) is inversely proportional to the temperature (T) of the object. The formula for Wien's displacement law is:
λmax = b / T
Where λmax is the wavelength of maximum intensity, b is a constant known as Wien's constant (approximately 2.898 × 10^-3 m·K), and T is the temperature measured in Kelvin (K).
First, you need to convert the given temperature from degrees Celsius to Kelvin by adding 273.15:
T = 200,000 °C + 273.15 = 200,273.15 K
Next, substitute the values into the formula and solve for λmax:
λmax = (2.898 × 10^-3 m·K) / (200,273.15 K)
Calculating this expression will give you the wavelength of the maximum intensity produced by the white dwarf star.