Final answer:
The maximum value of surface emissivity for an object emitting the maximum radiant energy is 1.0, representative of a perfect black body which is an ideal emitter.
Step-by-step explanation:
Surface emissivity is the amount of infrared energy emitted by a specific material. It is often expressed as a ratio or percentage of “1” with the “1.0” value being perfect “black body”. A material that emitted heat energy at half that rate, like polyester film, would have a rating of . 50 or 50%. The maximum value of surface emissivity of an object that emits the maximum amount of radiant energy is given by D) 1.0.
According to the Stefan-Boltzmann law, the power radiated per area of an object is proportional to its emissivity (e) and the fourth power of its absolute temperature (T), represented as P/A = σeT^4, where σ is the Stefan-Boltzmann constant. An object with an emissivity of 1.0 is known as a perfect black body and is an ideal emitter, meaning it can radiate the maximum amount of energy.
Black body radiators are theoretical objects that completely absorb all incident electromagnetic radiation, regardless of frequency or angle of incidence, and subsequently re-radiate energy as perfectly efficient emitters.