Earths temperature averaged over the year is about 300 Kelvin. At what wavelength does it radiate most strongly? What part of the electromagnetic spectrum does this wavelength lie in? Can you see it?
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see the formula under the chart.
To find the wavelength at which Earth radiates most strongly, we can use Wien's displacement law. According to this law, the wavelength (λ) at which an object emits maximum radiation is inversely proportional to its temperature (T). The formula for Wien's displacement law is:
λ = b / T,
Where λ is the wavelength, b is Wien's constant (approximately equal to 2.898 × 10^-3 meters per Kelvin), and T is the temperature in Kelvin.
Given that the average temperature of Earth is about 300 Kelvin, we can substitute the values into the formula:
λ = 2.898 × 10^-3 / 300,
λ ≈ 9.66 × 10^-6 meters.
Therefore, the wavelength at which Earth radiates most strongly is approximately 9.66 × 10^-6 meters (or 9,660 nanometers).
Now, let's determine which part of the electromagnetic spectrum this wavelength lies in. The electromagnetic spectrum spans a wide range of wavelengths, from very long radio waves to extremely short gamma rays. In this case, the calculated wavelength corresponds to the infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Infrared radiation has wavelengths longer than those of visible light but shorter than microwaves.
Finally, can we see this wavelength with our eyes? No, we cannot see infrared radiation with our naked eyes, as our eyes are most sensitive to visible light wavelengths (approximately 400 to 700 nanometers). However, we can use specialized cameras or sensors that are designed to detect infrared radiation to visualize this part of the spectrum.