Two stars A and B have two different temperatures and give off blackbody radiation because of their temperatures. The blackbody curves of these stars are shown in the figure below. The visible range of light is marked, as are the colors of visible light (with letters, V for violet through R for red). Use the figure to answer the following questions:
1. Which star, A or B, gives off more red light? Explain.
2. Which star, A or B, gives off more blue light? Explain.
3. Which star looks redder? Explain.
Two students are discussing their answers to the previous question.
Student 1: Star A looks redder because it gives off more red light than Star B.
Student 2: I disagree, you're ignoring how much blue light Star A gives off. A gives off more blue light than red light, so it looks bluish. B gives off more red light than blue light, so it looks reddish. That's why B looks redder than A.
Do you agree or disagree with either or both of the students? Explain.
The relationship between the peak wavelength of blackbody radiation and the temperature of the star giving off the radiation is given by λpeak × T = constant. If the temperature of a star increases by some factor, the peak wavelength must decrease by that same factor.
The figure shows that Star A is twice as hot as Star B. How much longer is the peak wavelength of the light from Star B compared to Star A? (Your answer should be something like "half as long," "twice as long," "three times as long," etc.)