Radford University RU Physics

Homework for Physics 330

Homework #11: Due Friday, December 5 by 5:00pm.
  1. problem 7.37. Here, you're just taking the derivative of Equation (7.84)--with the substitution x=ε/kT--and setting that equal to zero. You'll end up with that transcendental (i.e., can't solve by hand) equation that I told you that Maple would solve for you. For example, if you needed to solve sin(x)=x-1/2 for 'x' then you can't do this by hand. But use Maple's 'solve()' function on this via 'solve(sin(x)-x+1/2=0,x);' Then use the 'evalf()' function to force that output into an actual number and you will get 1.497 300 389 ...
  2. problem 7.38. Do this via computer for at least 5 temperatures so that you can see how the Planck spectrum changes with T.
  3. problem 7.39. I did the change from u(ε)dε to u(f)df in class using ε=hf. Here, you're just using ε=(hc/λ) to make the change from u(ε)dε to u(λ)dλ and then picking out the very obvious u(λ). As I showed you in class, it's the dλ=(stuff) that makes things interesting. Notice that this question asks three things--do a plot, find that equation and explain something.

That's all for homework #11.

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