Question

Compared with the peak wavelength given off by the sun, what is the peak wavelength given off by a hotter star?

A.) shorter in wavelength and higher in energy
B.) shorter in wavelength and lower in energy
C.) longer in wavelength and higher in energy
D.) longer in wavelength and lower in energy

Answer 1

A.) shorter in wavelength and higher in energy

Step-by-step explanation:

Got it right.

Answer 2

We know that the Sun is the biggest and brightest star of all. So, even the hottest star is nothing compared to the energy of the Sun. Thus, it is obvious that the hottest star would have a lower energy. Now, for the wavelength, we use the equations below:

E = hc/λ
where
E is the energy
h is a constant of proportionality called Planck's constant
c is the speed of light
λ is the wavelength

From the equation, you can tell that the energy is inversely proportional to the wavelength. Thus, the lower the energy, the longer the wavelength. So, the answer is D.