Question

An astronomer detected light from the gas near a black hole with a

wavelength of ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation at 200 nm. What is the
temperature of the gas at this location?

Answer 1

Explanation:

We know the wavelength (UV-B radiation at 200 nm) and the speed of light (c = 2.998 x 10^8 m/s), so we can calculate the temperature:

T = (2.998 x 10^8 m/s)/(1.24 x 10^-16 m/K x 200 nm)

T = 4.37 x 10^11 K

The temperature of the gas near the black hole is approximately 4.37 x 10^11 K, or 4.37 billion Kelvin.