Lab Experiment

Department of Physics,
University of Dhaka.

Experiment Number B11

Experiment Name Experimentally verify the Stefan-Boltzmann’s

Law of radiation and determine Stefan-
Boltzmann constant.

Allotment Date 30-01-2024

Completion Date 31-01-2024

Submitted by :
Student’s Name : Muhammad Arif Hussain
Class Roll number : SH-018-027
Registration number : 2019-518-086
Year : 4th
Session : 2019-20
Group : B
Batch : 14

1
Experiment B11 Page 2 of 8
Contents
1 Theory 3

2 Apparatus 6

3 Data collection 7

4 Calculation 7

5 Result 8

6 Discussions 8
Experiment B11 Page 3 of 8
1 Theory
Black-body radiation is the thermal electromagnetic radiation within or sur-
rounding, a body in thermodynamic equilibrium with its environment emitted
by a black body (an idealized opaque, non-reflective body). It has a specific,
continuous spectrum of wavelengths, inversely related to intensity, that depend
only on the body’s temperature, which is assumed, for the sake of calculations
and theory, to be uniform and constant.
For blackbody, Stefan and Boltzmann stated a law, the Stefan-Boltzmann
law, also known as Stefan’s law, describes the intensity of the thermal radiation
emitted by matter in terms of that matter’s temperature. It is named after
Josef Stefan, who empirically derived the relationship, and Ludwig Boltzmann
who derived the law theoretically.
For an ideal absorber or emitter on black body, the Stefan Boltzmann law
states that - The total energy radiated per unit surface area per unit time (also
known as the radiant existance) is directly proportional to the fourth power of
the black body’s temperature, T ;

E = σT 4

The constant of proportionality, σ, is called the Stefan-Boltzmann constant.

It has a value σ = 5.670374419x10−8 W m−2 K −4

It is a matter of common experience that the surface of a hot body emits

energy in the form of electromagnetic radiation. This emission occurs at any
temperature greater than absolute zero, the emitted radiation being continu-
ously distributed over all wavelengths.
If a body is at thermal equilibrium with its surroundings, and therefore is
at constant temperature, the radiation emission and absorption occurs at the
same rate.
We know, the number of allowed states in the volume of phase space dΓ is
:
dΓ 4πvp2 dp
g= 3 =
h h3
Considering cavity as a cube, v = 1

4πp2 dp
∴g=
h3
Experiment B11 Page 4 of 8
We know,
h
λ=
p
h
⇒ |dλ| = 2 |dp|
p
p2
⇒ |dp| = |dλ|
h
h
⇒ |dp| = 2 |dλ|
λ
4π h2 h
∴ g(λ)dλ = 3 · 2 · 2 dλ
h λ λ
4π
∴ g(λ)dλ = 4 dλ
λ
The allowed states will be doubled per unit volume :
8π
∴ g(λ)dλ = 4 dλ
λ
We know,
Z
n= dn
⇒ dn = n(ϵ)dϵ
n(ϵ)
⇒ f (ϵ) =
g(ϵ)
⇒ n(ϵ) = f (ϵ)g(ϵ)
⇒ n(λ) = f (λ)g(λ)
8π 1
∴ n(λ)dλ = 4 dλ · α+βϵ
λ e −1
hc 1
here, α = 0, ϵ = λ, β= KT
8π 1
∴ n(λ)dλ = dλ · hc
λ4 e λKT − 1
This is Planck’s radiation law. Here,
h = Planck’s constant
c = Speed of light
K = Boltzmann’s constant
T = Temperature
λ = wavelength
Experiment B11 Page 5 of 8
Now, total energy per unit volume or energy density at constant temperature:
Z ∞
E= E(λ)dλ
0
Z ∞
8πhc
E= hc dλ
0 λ5 (e λKT −1 )
hc
Let x = λKT ∴ dλ = − x2hc
KT dx. If λ = 0, x → ∞, if λ → ∞, x = 0

8πhc ( x2hc
Z 0
KT )
∴E=− ·
hc 5 E x − 1
dx
∞ ( xKT )
8πK 4 T 4 ∞ x3
Z
= dx
h3 c 3 0 ex − 1
8πK 4 T 4 π 4
= ·
h3 c 3 15
4
8πK
⇒E= 3 3
T4
15c h
∴ E = σT 4
This is stefan-Boltzmann law. here,
8πK 4
σ= 3 3
= 5.67 × 10−8 W m−2 K −4
15c h
The energy emitted by a black body per unit area and unit time is proportional
to the fourth power of the body’s absolute temperature (Stefan- Boltzmann
law) This is also valid for a gray body. A gray body has a surface with a wave-
length independent absorption coefficient of less than one. In this experiment,
the filament of an incandescent lamp is taken as a model for a gray body and
its emission is investigated as a function of its temperature.

Fig: Circuit for measuring the resistance of the lamp at room temperature.
Experiment B11 Page 6 of 8
To prove the validity of stefan-Boltzmann’s law, we measure the radiation
emitted by the filament of an incandescent lamp which represents a gray body
fairly well. For a fixed distance between filament and thermopile, the energy
flux ϕ which hits the thermopile is proportional to L(T ).

ϕ ∼ L(T )

Because of the proportionally between phi and the thermoelectric emf, Utherm
we can also write:
Utherm ∼ T 4 − t4r
logUtherm = 4logT + constant
For the tungsten filament resistance, we have the following temperature de-
pendence:

R(tr ) = R0 (1 + αtr + βt2r )

R(tr )
⇒ R0 =
(1 + αtr + βt2r )
where,

R0 = resistance at 0 ◦ C
α = 4.82 × 10−3 K −1
β = 6.76 × 10−7 K −2

solving R(tr ) with respect to t and using the relation T = t + 273, the relation
between temperature (T) and resistance becomes,
s
1 R( tr )
T = 273 + [ α2 + 4β( − 1) − α]
2β R0

2 Apparatus
1. Cobra 3 basic unit

2. Thermopile

3. Thermopile power supply

4. Lamp holder and lamp

5. Connection box

6. Digital multiplier etc.

Experiment B11 Page 7 of 8
3 Data collection

Table 1: Data for resistance in room temperature (T=27 ◦ C=300K)

1 V
Current, I Voltage, V × √
2 2
Resistance, R = I Average resistance,
(mA) (V) (Ω) R(tr ) (Ω)
50 0.0141 0.282
0.247
100 0.0212 0.212

Table 2: Table for determining thermopile voltage and temperature

Current Voltage Resistance Temperature ln(T ) Energy flux

I (A) V× 2√1 2 (V) R = V
I (Ω) (K) Utherm (mV)
2.00 0.508 0.254 586.58 6.3743 0.10
2.25 0.636 0.283 641.72 6.4642 0.45
2.50 0.815 0.326 723.64 6.5843 0.90
2.75 1.017 0.370 804.84 6.6906 1.40
3.00 1.242 0.414 885.13 6.7857 1.70
3.25 1.571 0.483 1008.23 6.9160 2.30
3.50 2.015 0.576 1166.83 7.0620 2.80
3.75 2.412 0.643 1279.31 7.1541 3.20
4.00 2.890 0.723 1408.07 7.2500 3.60

4 Calculation
Here, α = 4.82 × 10−3 K −1 , β = 6.76 × 10−7 K −2
R(tr )
∴ R0 =
1 + αtr + βt2r
0.247
⇒ R0 =
1 + 4.82 × 10−3 × 300 + 6.76 × 10−7 × 3002
∴ R0 = 0.098562 Ω
 Energy lvx as a funchn of erpototrre
4
Roll
No.
A
20
cm
25
cm
78 («94 702 7:1 78
Jn(T)
Experiment B11 Page 8 of 8
Now for I=2A, V=0.508V; R = VI = 0.508
2 = 0.254 Ω
r
1 Rt
∴ T = 273 + [ α2 + 4β( r − 1) − α]
2β R0
r
−3
10 0.254
⇒ T = 273 + [ (4.82 + 4 × 0.676( − 1) − 4.82]
2 × 6.76 × 10−7 098562
∴ T = 586.195 K
All the other values were determined similarly.
% error in slope:
4 − 3.93
% error = | | × 100% = 1.75%
4

5 Result
◦ From the plot of thermopile voltage vs temperature, the slope is obtained
to be 3.93 ≃ 4 with 1.75% error. Hence the Stefan-Boltzmann law is
verified.
◦ The resistance of the filament at absolute zero temperature is 0.09856 Ω
◦ The Stefan-Boltzmann constant is 5.67 × 10−8 W m−2 K −4

6 Discussions
1. The slope for Utherm vs ln(T ) was 3.93 which is close to the theoretical
prediction.
2. As the exact relationship between the energy and the thermopile volt-
age is unknown and a fraction of radiation from the filament entered
the thermopile detector, it was not possible to establish a relationship
between radiated power and thermopile voltage. So, Stefan-Boltzmann
constant, σ was not determined through the relationship.
3. The current was not raised very high so that the filament gets so hot
that it melts. we took data until 4A current which isn’t very high.
4. The reading for voltage fluctuated a bit which might have introduced
some errors.
5. While measuring voltage, the r.m.s of half peak to peak value was taken.
6. At room temperature, resistance was measured. Then we found resis-
tance at 0 ◦ C.