Wien's Displacement Law Calculator
Wavelength at which a hot body radiates most strongly, with the matching frequency and photon energy.
Results
Wavelength
502.04
nm
Wavelength
0.50204
µm
Frequency
597.149
THz
Photon energy
2.46961
eV
What this tool does
Everything warm glows, and the hotter it is the shorter the wavelength it glows at. The default is the Sun's surface at 5772 K, which peaks in green light — right in the middle of what our eyes evolved to see. A person at 310 K peaks around 9 µm in the far infrared, which is the band thermal cameras are built for.
Formula
peak λ = b ÷ T (b = 2.897 771 955 × 10⁻³ m·K)
Variables
| Symbol | Meaning | Unit |
|---|---|---|
t | Temperature | K |
WL | Wavelength | nm |
UM | Wavelength | µm |
F | Frequency | THz |
EV | Photon energy | eV |
Worked example
- Temperature5772 K
- Wavelength502.04 nm
- Wavelength0.50204 µm
- Frequency597.149 THz
- Photon energy2.46961 eV
Limitations
- The formula assumes ideal conditions: no friction losses, no air resistance and no efficiency losses unless you enter them.
- The default values are typical reference figures, not measurements of your situation. Replace them with your own data whenever you have it.