How to Calculate Radiative Flux

An incandescent bulb produces light because electricity makes a wire filament in the bulb white-hot. Embers in a fire glow deep red because of their temperature. These are both examples of radiated energy produced by heat. All objects radiate some energy by virtue of their temperatures, but in most cases, the energy is weak and invisible; it does not become visible until it approaches the temperature of a fire. You can calculate the flux of radiated energy leaving a hot object if you know its temperature. You may first need to convert the temperature units to absolute temperature in kelvins.

Things You'll Need

• Scientific calculator

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Convert temperature units to kelvins. If the temperature you have is in Fahrenheit, key it into the calculator, subtract 32, multiply by 5, divide by 9 and add 273.15. If the temperature is in Celsius, key it in and add 273.15.

   • 2

     Raise the kelvin temperature to the fourth power by pressing the calculator's "x^2" key twice.

   • 3

     Press the multiply key and enter the number 5.67 x 10^-8. Use scientific notation for this number; enter the "5.67," and enter the exponent separately as "-8." Press the "=" key. The calculator will display the result in units of watts per square meter.