Can an object emit all the frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum if we keep increasing its temperature? Please note that I do not mean a blackbody here, but a body which is not at thermal equilibrium.

Question

Can an object emit all the frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum if we keep increasing its temperature? Please note that I do not mean a blackbody here, but a body which is not at thermal equilibrium.

In: Physics

Answer 1

Thermal radiation does not happen due to electrons transitioning over energy gaps.

Thermal radiation happens because warm atoms vibrate/rotate/collide. There is acceleration. Accelerating electric charge creates EM radiation.

Thermal radiation is continuous over all EM frequencies. But since the energy radiated is finite and frequency range is infinite the amount of radiation at high and low frequencies approaches zero.