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PlaidBastard t1_jarh7ch wrote

Real atoms have individual electrons at specific energy levels. A true perfect blackbody emits EVERY energy of photon along the curve, real matter in our universe can only do it at discrete energy levels on the curve. Some elements have bigger 'steps' between certain parts of the spectrum. Thorium collects and then reemits a lot of visible photons, other elements have spikes in the IR or UV range, some have only very small divergence from a blackbody Planck curve. The elements which make 'extra' visible light are inherently superior things to heat up to make light as a result.

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Blakut t1_jarhvo7 wrote

>A true perfect blackbody emits EVERY energy of photon along the curve, real matter in our universe can only do it at discrete energy levels on the curve

The energy levels of individual atoms have little to do with black body emission, no? You mean to tell me that the black body spectrum of real objects is choppy? Isn't the planck spectrum the result of taking into consideration the quantum nature of light, i.e. as discrete oscillators? Can you please give me a link where these steps arising from thermal velocities are observed and their mathematical description please? Also, keep in mind we are talking about solids here, not gases or plasmas.

The problem is the wiki article alludes that line emission from atoms breaking off from the material and having chemical reactions in the flames around it is not entirely responsible for enhancing its glow.

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PlaidBastard t1_jariopl wrote

Still I bed and don't have my glasses on yet, so I'm going to have to punt those requests to others.

The blackbody radiation is indeed choppy from solids, just with so much noise that it appears mostly continuous when measuring the spectra from sufficiently geometrically complex surfaces.

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