ASTRON 1F03 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Electromagnetic Radiation, Thermal Radiation, Emission Spectrum
12 Mar 2018
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Astronomy, chapter 2, light and matter: waves. Radiation: transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles in mediums in vacuum . Electromagnetic radiation: transmission of e in a vacuum (no medium) via electric and magnetic elds. Diffraction: bending of a wave around an obstacle. Interference: when 2 waves cross each other, the resultant wave might have a larger or smaller value for the amplitude. Frequency : # of wave crests that pass a given point per second. Period: time between passage of consecutive crests. Electromagnetic waves do not travel in a medium. Created by accelerating charged particles: e. w. have a electric eld and a magnetic eld, traveling in the same direction but perpendicular to one another. Change in electric eld results in change in magnetic eld and viceversa: thermal radiation. Blackbody: object that absorbs all radiation falling on it and if the temperature remains constant reemit all of that radiation.
