Question

What is the temperature of a star (in Kelvin) if its peak wavelength is 150 nm (that is, 150 x 10^-9 m)?

Answer 1

Answer:

19320 K

Explanation:

The temperature of a star is related to its peak wavelength by Wien's displacement law:

$T=\frac{b}{\lambda}$

where

T is the absolute temperature at the star's surface

$b=2.898 \cdot 10^{-3}m\cdot K$ is Wien's displacement constant

$\lambda$ is the peak wavelength

Here we have

$\lambda=150 nm = 150\cdot 10^{-9}nm$

Substituting into the equation, we find

$T=\frac{2.898\cdot 10^{-3}}{150\cdot 10^{-9}}=19320 K$