Blackbody (Noun)
Meaning
A hypothetical object capable of absorbing all the electromagnetic radiation falling on it; "a black body maintained at a constant temperature is a full radiator at that temperature because the radiation reaching and leaving it must be in equilibrium".
Classification
Nouns denoting natural objects (not man-made).
Examples
- A blackbody is an idealized object that absorbs all the electromagnetic radiation that falls on it, without reflecting or transmitting any of it.
- The concept of a blackbody is important in physics because it provides a theoretical basis for understanding the behavior of real objects that absorb and emit radiation.
- In a laboratory, a blackbody can be approximated by a cavity with a small opening, which absorbs all the radiation that enters through the opening.
- A blackbody maintained at a constant temperature is a full radiator at that temperature because the radiation reaching and leaving it must be in equilibrium.
- The radiation emitted by a blackbody is known as blackbody radiation, and its spectrum is a function of the object's temperature.