INTERNATIONAL ISLAMIC UNIVERSITY MALAYSIA,

GOMBAK, 53100, KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA

SEMESTER I 2023/2024

MECH 2128 SECTION 1

AEROSPACE ENGINEERING LAB I

EXPERIMENT 5: Thermal Radiation

Instructor’s Name:

DR. HANAFI BIN AZAMI

GROUP 3

NO NAME MATRIC NUMBER

1 ADIB ANWAR BIN AZIZUDDIN 2019675

2 MUHAMMAD ZAL HAZSMI BIN ROSTHAM 2011255

3 FARAH MUNIRAH BINTI RAZALI 2019156

4 PUTERI SHANIA NABILA BINTI AZHAR 2018258

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL AND AEROSPACE ENGINEERING

1.0 INTRODUCTION

An electromagnetic radiation that is released from a substance because of its heat is

known as thermal radiation, and the type of radiation that results depends on the temperature of
the material. The laws pertaining to its electromagnetic waves are distinct from those pertaining
to conduction and convection. The medium that is necessary for heat transfer is not needed.
Thermal radiation, for instance, is produced when solar energy reaches the earth and all bodies
with temperatures over zero. When two bodies are separated by a medium that is colder than
both of them, radiation can happen. The Maxwell theory states that radiation's electromagnetic
waves are responsible for the transfer of energy. Similar to other waves, electromagnetic waves
move at the speed of light and carry energy.

Figure 1: Thermal Radiation Study Unit WL360

The two most significant laws related to thermal and optical radiation that are examined
and tested in this experiment are Lambert's distance law and Stefan Boltzmann's law. We shall
demonstrate a fundamental radiation law with this experiment.
Inverse Square Law of Heat

According to the background of the Inverse Square Law of Heat, the square of the
surface's distance from the radiation source determines the inverse proportionality between the
intensity of radiation on the surface. One can observe the total energy dQ from an element dA
passing through the radius of a hemisphere, r. According to the background of the Inverse Square
Law of Heat, the square of the surface's distance from the radiation source determines the inverse
proportionality between the intensity of radiation on the surface.

If the rate of flow of energy through dA1 is dQ φ then dQφ = iφ dw dA where iφ is the
intensity of radiation in the direction φ.

Stefan Boltzmann’s Law

Stefan Boltzmann law stated that the amount of radiation emitted per unit time from area
A of a black body at absolute temperature, T is directly proportional to the fourth power of the
temperature.

qb= a(Ts4–Ta4)

Where :

qb = energy emitted by unit area of a black body surface (Wm2) (Note: Energy emitted by
surface =3.040 X reading from radiometer R –refer to Radiometer Data sheet for explanation)

a = Stefan-Boltzmann constant equal to 5.67 x 10-8(Wm-2K-4)

Ts = Source temperature and surrounding = black plate temp. (K)

Ta = Temperature of radiometer and surrounding = room temp.(K)

Lambert’s distance law

 The law states that the decrease in the square of the distance will result in decrease of the
irradiance (luminance) of the radiation emitted by a point source. For this experiment, which is
Lambert’s Cosine Law, it holds that the radiation per unit solid angle (the radiant intensity) from
a flat surface varies with the cosine of the angle to the surface normal.

Relation of Lamber’s Direct Law:

𝐸𝜑 = 𝐸𝑛 cos 𝜑

where 𝐸𝜑 is the corrected luminance, 𝐸𝑛 is the normal luminance, 𝜑 is the angle

2.0 OBJECTIVE

● The purpose of the experiment is to prove the Inverse Square Law of Heat and
Stefan-Boltzmann Law on thermal and optical radiation

3.0 METHODOLOGY

Part A –Inverse Square Law of Heat

1. Placed the radiometer at a distance of 1000m from the heat source.

2. The radiometer was switched on and the background readings i.e. radiation and
temperature were observed and recorded. The load was ensured to be switched off.
3. Switched on the loads switch, and the power regulator was set to be 5.
4. Steady temperatures were achieved before continuing the experiment.
5. The radiometer readings and the distance from the heat source of the radiometer
along the horizontal track were recorded starting from distance 100 mm to 1000 mm
with increments of 100mm.

Part B – Stefan-Boltzmann Law

1. The radiometer and the black plate were placed at 150 mm and 50 mm respectively
from the heat source.
2. Black plate temperatures were recorded and also the radiometer reading at room
temperature.
3. Then, the readings for temperature of 30°C, 40°C, 60°C, 75°C, 100°C were recorded.
Both readings were to be calculated simultaneously at any given point.

Part C – Lambert's Direct Law (Cosine Law)

1. The luxmeter was mounted at a separation of L = 400 mm from the light source. The
luxmeter is ensured to be connected to the measuring amplifier.
 2. Measuring amplifier was switched on and the background readings were recorded.
3. The light source is mounted in starting position φ = 0 °, the switch was turned on and
the power regulator was turned to the settings no. 9.
4. The measured illuminance, E, is recorded in Lux and the procedure was repeated with
increasing angle of incidence, φ in increments of 10° starting from 0° until 90°.

4.0 RESULT

Part A –Inverse Square Law of Heat

Distance (mm) Radiometer Log 10 X Log 10 R

Reading (W/m 2)

150 100.00 2.18 2

235 126.40 2.37 2.102

320 128.30 2.51 2.108

405 130.90 2.61 2.117

490 134.00 2.69 2.127

575 136.00 2.76 2.134

660 138.00 2.82 2.140

745 139.80 2.87 2.146

830 140.90 2.92 2.149

915 141.70 2.96 2.151

1000 143.30 3.00 2.156

Table 1 : Table of Distance (mm), Radiometer Reading (W), Log10 X and Log10 R.
Figure 5 : Graph of radiometer reading (W/m2) vs. Distance (mm)

Figure 6: Graph of Log10R versus log10X

The gradient of the slope for the graph of Log10 R versus log10 X.

M = 0.0758

Part B – Stefan-Boltzmann Law

Temperature (°C) Radiometer Reading (W/m2)

26.3 10

43.75 87

62.5 233

81.25 395

100 572
Table 2: Temperature and Radiometer Reading (W/m2)

Figure 7: Graph of radiometer reading (W/m2) versus Temperature (°C)

Part C – Lambert's Direct Law (Cosine Law)

Angle, 𝜑 Luxmeter Background Correct Normal

Reading (Lux) Illuminance Illuminance, Eφ Illuminance, En
(Lux) (Lux) (Lux)

0 18 12 6 6

10 17 12 5 5.08

20 17 12 5 5.32

30 28 12 16 18.48

40 52 12 40 52.22

50 81 12 69 107.34

60 148 12 136 272

70 222 12 210 614

80 241 12 229 1318.76

90 247 12 235 0
Table 3: Table of Background Illuminance, Luxmeter Reading, Correct Illuminance and Normal
Illuminance.

Normal illuminance at 10°

𝐸𝑛 = 𝐸𝜑 / cos 𝜑

= 5 / cos 10°

= 5.08
5.0 DISCUSSION

The graph in Figure 5 shows that the radiation intensity and the distance between the
radiometer and the heat source are negatively correlated. This has shown that the intensity of the
radiometer depends on both the heat source and its distance. The temperature decreases as the
radiometer's intensity increases with distance from the heat source. As Figure 6 also illustrates,
we can see that Log10 R is linearly proportional to Log10 X. We then found that the gradient is
0.0758, as was established in the computation part. The graph is linear because the farther the
distance between the radiometer and the heat source, the greater the radiation intensity.

The temperature shown on the thermometer reading while the power is at its lowest is
26.3 °C, as can be seen by looking at the second table. The reading indicates that the radiometer
registers 10 Wm-2. It is 62.5 °C when the power is set to medium. The radiometer then reads 233
Wm-2. The radiometer reads 572 Wm-2 when the temperature is 100 °C and the power is at its
maximum level. The pattern of the results suggests that when the power increases, the
temperature and the radiometer's intensity both rise.

The Lambert law specifies how much of the incident light energy is reflected. The total
emissive power (E) from a surface in any direction is directly proportional to the angle of
emission, according to Lambert's cosine law.

𝐸= 𝐸𝑛∙ cos ∅

En represents the total emission power in the direction of motion. Any point on the
surface has reflected radiant light energy that is proportionate to Lambert's cosine law. An area
element on the surface has the same brightness regardless of viewpoint. This is because the
emission angle's cosine decreases the surface area when viewed from all angles. It also decreases
the area element's observed solid angle by the same amount, giving the impression that the area
is smaller while maintaining the same brightness.

It is evident that there is a minor deviation between the values in the preceding graph and
the theoretical value. Given that errors are made during experimentation, this makes sense. This
experiment may have errors that are both random and systematic. One random error can be
caused by human error. Looking at the device to measure the distance could create some
inaccuracy during the experiment because the eyes are not parallel to the measuring tape. This
will lead to an erroneous outcome from the experiment. Furthermore, inaccurate data could also
originate from rusted equipment.

However, the equipment we regularly use also generates radiation, which could distort
the results of the radiometer. This is what causes the systematic inaccuracy. The other systematic
error is due to the apparatus, which consistently alters the value between 572 and 573 W/m2 at
100 °C. This suggests that the reading on the radiometer is not fixed at this point, which makes
choosing variables challenging.

All of these errors will still occur, but by repeating the experiment and averaging the
results, we can increase experiment accuracy while lowering the number of errors. In order for us
to conduct the experiment and get more precise results, the institution should also be so kind as
to update or replace the equipment.

6.0 CONCLUSION

This experiment shows that the intensity of the radiometer depends on its distance from
the heat source as well as its distance. This leads us to the conclusion that there is an inverse
relationship between the intensity of the radiation and the distance of the radiometer from the
heat source. With a gradient of 0.0758, the relationship between Log10 R and Log10 X is
inverse. We are able to prove the validity of Stefan-Boltzmann Law at last.

Lambert's Direct Law (Cosine Law) experiment states that the radiant intensity along a
beam is directly proportional to the cosine of the angle between the beam and a line
perpendicular to the radiating surface. Since every result in both experiments satisfies the laws,
the experiment's goal of demonstrating the most significant physical laws governing thermal and
optical radiation can be accomplished.