It arose from the combination of the statement that all modes of a system at equilibrium have an average energy of kT/2, suggested by the equipartition theorem, with the predictions of the Rayleigh-Jeans law. This suggested there was no peak wavelength on the associated intensity-wavelength curve according to classical mechanics, but Planck's introduction of quantized energies resolved this paradox. For 10 points, identify this prediction of clas
It arose from the combination of the statement that all modes of a system at equilibrium have an average energy of kT/2, suggested by the equipartition theorem, with the predictions of the Rayleigh-Jeans law. This suggested there was no peak wavelength on the associated intensity-wavelength curve according to classical mechanics, but Planck's introduction of quantized energies resolved this paradox. For 10 points, identify this prediction of classical mechanics asserting that an ideal black-body could emit infinite energy at sufficiently short wavelengths, which give this phenomenon its name.
It arose from the combination of the statement that all modes of a system at equilibrium have an average energy of kT/2, suggested by the equipartition theorem, with the predictions of the Rayleigh-Jeans law.
{ultraviolet catastrophe} [prompt on {Rayleigh}-{Jeans catastrophe}]