black body radiation

• all bodies (objects) emit and absorb infrared radiation.
• the hotter the body, the more infrared radiation it radiates in a given time
• a perfect black body is an object that absorbs all of the radiation incident on it
• a black body does not reflect or transmit any radiation
• since a good absorber is also a good emitter, a perfect black body would be the best possible emitter
• the intensity and wavelength distribution of any emission depends on the temperature of the body