Given the sun has a surface temperature of approximately 6,000K, over what electromagnetic wave spectrum does the sun emit its maximum amount of energy?

Question

BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

The question asks about the electromagnetic spectrum region where the Sun emits its maximum energy, given its surface temperature near 6,000 K.

First, recall that a blackbody at a given temperature emits a spectrum with a peak that can be estimated using Wien's displacement law: lambda_max = b / T, where b ≈ 2.897 × 10^6 nm·K.

Plugging in T ≈ 6000 K yields lambda_max ≈ (2.897 × 10^6) / 6000 ≈ 483 nm, which lies in the blue-green portion of the visible spectrum. This confirms that the Sun’s peak emission falls within the visible range, around roughly 0.48 micrometers, rather than in the infrared or ultraviolet.

Option analysis:
- If an option stated “Visible (~0.4 - 0.7 micrometers)” (as in the provided answer), this aligns with the computed lambda_max and is therefore correct based on Wien’s law and the Sun’s temperature.
- If there were options suggesting ultraviolet or infrared as the peak, those would be inconsistent with the 6000 K estimate because the peak wavelength is too short (UV would require higher temperatures) or too long (IR would require cooler temperatures).
- If there were options claiming the peak is outside the visible range, those would similarly be incorrect given the temperature and the blackbody peak location.

Note: The provided data set includes an explicit correct answer indicating the peak lies in the visible range. The absence of listed multiple-choice options means we cannot critique specific distractors here, but the reasoning above supports why the visible range is the region of maximum emission for a 6000 K blackbody like the Sun.

Given the sun has a surface temperature of approximately 6,000K, over what electromagnetic wave spectrum does the sun emit its maximum amount of energy?

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