Nature of electromagnetic radiation:

Put up by James Clark Maxwell in 1864. Its main points are summed up below: The energy is emitted from any source continuously in form of radiations or a wave is called radiant energy. The radiations consist of electric and magnetic fields of oscillation perpendicular to each other and both perpendicular to the direction of propagation of radiation. These waves dont require a material medium to travel that means they could travel in vacuum also.

Characteristics of waves: Wavelength Frequency Velocity Wave number Amplitude

Wave number = 1/wavelength The limitations or drawbacks of electromagnetic theory: 1. The phenomenon couldnt explain black body radiation and photoelectric effect. 2. The line of spectra of atom with special reference to hydrogen.

BLACK BODY RADIATION

Black body is an object that is a perfect absorber of radiation. A blackbody is an object that completely absorbs all electromagnetic radiation falling on its surface at any temperature. It can be thought of as a perfect absorber

and emitter of radiation. The radiation emitted by these bodies is called black body radiation.