Final answer:
Blackbody radiation studies revealed that the wavelength of the highest-energy radiation emitted by an object is dependent on its temperature. As the object's temperature increases, it emits a larger fraction of its energy at shorter wavelengths, indicating higher frequencies and energies.
Step-by-step explanation:
Blackbody radiation studies showed that the wavelength of the highest-energy radiation emitted depends on the temperature of the object. Blackbody radiation refers to the electromagnetic radiation whose wavelength and frequency depend on the temperature of the radiating body.
A blackbody emits radiation across a spectrum of wavelengths, but there is a peak wavelength where the power emitted is the highest. As temperature increases, this peak wavelength shifts towards the shorter wavelengths, which corresponds to higher frequencies and energies, according to the relation f = c / λ where f is frequency, c is the speed of light, and λ is the wavelength.
Moreover, hot objects emit a larger fraction of their energy at these shorter wavelengths when compared to cooler objects. For instance, a burner on a stove may glow red at lower temperatures and progress to yellow or blue-white as the temperature increases, indicating the shift of peak radiation to shorter wavelengths. This demonstrates how temperature affects the color and wavelength of emitted radiation from a blackbody.