Color Temperature To Wavelength Calculator

Wien's Displacement Law:

\[ \lambda_{peak} = \frac{2.897 \times 10^6}{T} \]

Peak Wavelength (λ_peak):

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1. What is Wien's Displacement Law?

Wien's Displacement Law describes the relationship between the temperature of a black body and the wavelength at which it emits the most radiation. It states that the peak wavelength of emission is inversely proportional to the absolute temperature.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses Wien's Displacement Law:

\[ \lambda_{peak} = \frac{2.897 \times 10^6}{T} \]

Where:

\( \lambda_{peak} \) — Peak wavelength in nanometers (nm)
\( T \) — Color temperature in Kelvin (K)
\( 2.897 \times 10^6 \) — Wien's displacement constant in nm·K

Explanation: As the temperature of a black body increases, the peak wavelength of its emitted radiation shifts to shorter wavelengths (higher frequencies).

3. Importance of Peak Wavelength Calculation

Details: Calculating peak wavelength is crucial in various fields including astronomy (determining star temperatures), thermal imaging, lighting design, and understanding black body radiation spectra.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter color temperature in Kelvin. The temperature must be greater than 0 K. Common examples: 3000K (warm white), 5000K (daylight), 6500K (cool daylight).

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a black body in physics?
A: A black body is an idealized physical object that absorbs all incident electromagnetic radiation and emits radiation characteristic of its temperature.

Q2: Why is the constant 2.897 × 10^6?
A: This is Wien's displacement constant derived experimentally and theoretically, representing the product of peak wavelength and temperature in nm·K.

Q3: What are typical wavelength ranges?
A: For room temperature (300K): ~9650 nm (infrared), for the sun (5778K): ~501 nm (green light), for hotter stars: shorter wavelengths.

Q4: Does this apply to all objects?
A: Wien's law applies precisely to black bodies. Real objects approximate this behavior but may have different emission characteristics.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: The calculation is mathematically exact for ideal black bodies. For real objects, it provides a good approximation of peak emission wavelength.