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Blackbody Radiation Rayleigh Jeans

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Blackbody Radiation-Section2

Dr. Jayanta Das

Department of Physics, Maharaja College, Ara, Bihar-802301

1 Rayleigh-Jean's classical theory of blackbody radiation

Rayleigh and Jeans, two British physicists, attempted to explain the blackbody radiation curve theoretically, i.e.
derived a mathematical expression for describing the blackbody radiation intensity I(λ) as function of wavelength
λ at a xed temperature T. Their mathematical approach was based on classical wave theory, and was partially
successful to reach its goal. However, their theory on blackbody radiation is signicantly recognized.

1.1 Derivation: Rayleigh-Jean's law

Consider a cubical blackbody cavity of edge L. The inner wall of the cavity is coated with lamp black. At temperature
T , the atoms and molecules on the inner walls of the cavity oscillate by thermal vibration. We shall call them simply
as `oscillators'. They perform simple harmonic oscillations. Electromagnetic waves (radiations) emit from these
oscillators and get reected and re-reected on the inner walls of the cavity. These emitted waves along the length
of the cube form standing waves under the condition that
λ
L=n
2
where λ is wavelength of electromagnetic wave and hence λ= 2L
n , where n are nonzero integers (n=1,2,3...etc.). Each

Figure 1: Dierent radiation modes inside a hot cavity


n value denes a particular `mode' of oscillation. Various such modes are shown in gure 1 where the yellow, blue,
green and dark colored wavefunctions corresponds to n=1,2,3 and 4, respectively. The wavenumber k is dened as
λ and therefore may written as
k = 2π
2π πn
k = 2L =
n
L

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Considering the three-dimensional cartesian coordinate system, where nx , ny and nz are integers along the x, y and
z direction inside the cavity:
πnx πny πnz
kx = , ky = , kz =
Lx Ly Lz
Since we have considered a cube, Lx =Ly =Lz =L. Therefore,
π 2 (n2x + n2y + n2z )
k 2 = kx2 + ky2 + kz2 =
L2

as, k= 2π
λ
k 2 L2 4L2
n2 = n2x + n2y + n2z = = (1)
π2 λ2
Hence,
2L
n=
λ
dierentiating
2L
δn = − δλ (2)
λ2
As mentioned earlier, nx , ny and nz are dierent modes of oscillations. Corresponding to nx , ny and nz , there exist
kx , ky and kz values respectively. If we consider a three dimensional momentum (k ) space, its three axes are kx , ky
and kz , respectively. Now, we can transform this k-space into a n-space via rescaling the axes by multiplying them
with Lπx , Lπy and Lπz respectively. We may call this n-space as `mode'-space. In gure 2, such a n-space is shown.

Figure 2: Schematic of a n-space


Within the rst octant (where nx , ny and nz all are positive), volume of spherical shell in n-space within radius n
and n+δ n, i.e. number of modes:
1
δN = 4πn2 δn
8
1
δN = 4π(n2x + n2y + n2z )δn
8
using eqn 1 and eqn 2,
1 4L2 2L
δN = − 4π 2 2 δλ
8 λ λ

2
∂N 4πL3
=− 4 (3)
∂λ λ
The minus sign indicates that the number of modes decreases with increasing wavelength. Eqn (3) denes the number
of modes per unit wavelength. From the principle of equipartition of energy, each standing wave mode has average
energy kB T , where kB is Boltzmann constant (kB =1.38×10−23 J/K), and T is absolute temperature. Therefore, if
E is the energy associated to each mode then,

∂E 4πkB T L3
=− (4)
∂λ λ4
The energy density is dened as,
Energy(δE)
δu =
V olume(L3 )
, Therefore equation eqn (4) may be written as:
∂u 1 ∂E 4πkB T
= 3 =− (5)
∂λ L ∂λ λ4
Now, interesting point to note is that, each oscillator can vibrate horizontally and vertically on the inner surface
of the cavity, creating s-polarized and p-polarized electromagnetic waves. Therefore, the actual number of modes
should be double than counted so far. The energy density should be double than as shown in eqn (5) which will be
modied as,
∂u 8πkB T
=− 4
(6)
∂λ λ
Equation (6), is the Rayleigh-Jean's distribution law for blackbody radiation expressing the wavelength λ de-
pendance of energy density u(λ). This distribution law may be expressed in terms of frequency ν . We know, λ= νc ,
where c is the velocity of the electromagnetic waves. Dierentiating,
c
dλ = − dν
ν2
Putting in equation (6),
8πkB T ν 4 c
δu = dν
c4 ν2
∂u 8πkB T ν 4 c
=
∂ν c4 ν2
∂u 8πkB T ν 2
= (7)
∂ν c3
Equation (7) is the Rayleigh Jean's distribution law , that expresses energy density u as a function of frequency
ν.

2 Rayleigh-Jean's distribution law: Success and Failure

Evidently, Rayleigh Jean's distribution law is very signicant while discussing the phenomena of blackbody radiation.
Equation (6) [or (7)] expresses the power law following which the energy density increases with decreasing wavelength
[or, increasing frequency]. In gure 3, the experimental blackbody energy density distribution u(λ) is shown over a
broad wavelength (λ) range, alongwith the Rayleigh Jean's distribution curve (dashed curve). The curve explains
the distribution spectrum for higher values of λ. Unfortunately, the curve keeps on rising for lower λ values and
therefore fails to produce a nite value as u(λ) −→ ∞ for λ −→ 0. This phenomena is called `ultraviolet catastrophe '.
Rayleigh Jean's law is unable to show that the energy density u(λ) of blackbody radiation decreases from the peak
value for smaller λ. Therefore, Rayleigh Jean's law eqn (6) is successful for higher λ-side of the radiation spectrum
and fails for the lower λ-side.

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Figure 3: Rayleigh Jean's distribution function ts only for higher wavelength side of the blackbody radiation
spectrum.

References

[1] Thermodynamics, Author: S C Gupta, Publisher: Pearson Education, India.


[2] Heat and Thermodynamics, Author:Zeemansky and Dittman, Publisher: Mc Graw Hill.
[3] Heat Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics, Author: Brij Lal,Subrahmanyam, Hemne. Publisher: S Chand.
[4] Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles, Authors: R. Eisberg, R. Resnick, Publisher:
Wiley
[5] Quantum Physics, Author: Stephen Gasiorowicz, Publisher: John Wiley and Sons.
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1 Figures are collected from online resources.

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