Shelving Guide: Electrical Engineering In 1900 the great German theoretical physicist Max Planck formulated a correct mathematical description of blackbody radiation. Today, understanding the behavior of a blackbody is of importance to many fields including thermal and infrared systems engineering, pyrometry, astronomy, meteorology, and illumination. This book gives an account of the development of Planck’s equation together with many of the other functions closely related to it. Particular attention is paid to the computational aspects employed in the evaluation of these functions together with the various aids developed to facilitate such calculations. The book is divided into three sections. Section I – Thermal radiation and the blackbody problem are introduced and discussed. Early developments made by experimentalists and theoreticians are examined as they strove to understand the problem of the blackbody. Section II – The development of Planck’s equation is explained as are the all-important fractional functions of the first and second kinds which result when Planck’s equation is integrated between finite limits. A number of theoretical developments are discussed that stem directly from Planck’s law, as are the various computational matters that arise when numerical evaluation is required. Basic elements of radiometry that tie together and use many of the theoretical and computational ideas developed is also presented. Section III – A comprehensive account of the various computational aids such as tables, nomograms, graphs, and radiation slide rules devised and used by generations of scientists and engineers when working with blackbody radiation are presented as are more recent aids utilizing computers and digital devices for real-time computations. Scientists and engineers working in fields utilizing blackbody sources will find this book to be a valuable guide in understanding many of the computational aspects and nuances associated with Planck’s equation and its other closely related functions. With over 700 references, it provides an excellent research resource.

An account of Max Planck’s construction of his theory of blackbody radiation, summarizing the established physics on which he drew. In the last year of the nineteenth century, Max Planck constructed a theory of blackbody radiation—the radiation emitted and absorbed by nonreflective bodies in thermal equilibrium with one another—and his work ushered in the quantum revolution in physics. In this book, three physicists trace Planck’s discovery. They follow the trail of Planck’s thinking by constructing a textbook of sorts that summarizes the established physics on which he drew. By offering this account, the authors explore not only how Planck deployed his considerable knowledge of the physics of his era but also how Einstein and others used and interpreted Planck’s work. Planck did not set out to lay the foundation for the quantum revolution but to study a universal phenomenon for which empirical evidence had been accumulating since the late 1850s. The authors explain the nineteenth-century concepts that informed Planck’s discovery, including electromagnetism, thermodynamics, and statistical mechanics. In addition, the book offers the first translations of important papers by Ludwig Boltzmann and Wilhelm Wien on which Planck’s work depended.

Fundamentals of radiation for atmospheric applications -- Solar radiation at the top of the atmosphere -- Absorption and scattering of solar radiation in the atmosphere -- Thermal infrared radiation transfer in the atmosphere -- Light scattering by atmospheric particulates -- Principles of radiative transfer in planetary atmospheres -- Application of radiative transfer principles to remote sensing -- Radiation and climate.

This extensively revised 4th edition provides an up-to-date, comprehensive single source of information on the important subjects in engineering radiative heat transfer. It presents the subject in a progressive manner that is excellent for classroom use or self-study, and also provides an annotated reference to literature and research in the field. The foundations and methods for treating radiative heat transfer are developed in detail, and the methods are demonstrated and clarified by solving example problems. The examples are especially helpful for self-study. The treatment of spectral band properties of gases has been made current and the methods are described in detail and illustrated with examples. The combination of radiation with conduction and/or convection has been given more emphasis nad has been merged with results for radiation alone that serve as a limiting case; this increases practicality for energy transfer in translucent solids and fluids. A comprehensive catalog of configuration factors on the CD that is included with each book provides over 290 factors in algebraic or graphical form. Homework problems with answers are given in each chapter, and a detailed and carefully worked solution manual is available for instructors.

"Discusses the interactions of heat energy and matter"--

A biography of the electron and a history of the microphysical world that it opened up.

After the development of the tunable laser, experimental studies in Rydberg states of atoms and molecules grew at a remarkable rate. Fundamental questions were resolved, opening doors for more experimental activity and theoretical inquiry. In this comprehensive summary of knowledge of Rydberg states, which was originally published in 1983, Professors Stebbings and Dunning brought together a select collection of experimental and theoretical discussions. Composed of works by the acknowledged leaders in the field, this volume will be of value for anyone with an interest in molecular physics.

An accessible and pedagogically rich Modern Physics textbook, with step-by-step explanations and extensive resources to support active learning.