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A black body... must have the same refractive index as the medium... then there will be no reflection at its surface, and all incident rays... wholly absorbed.

— Gustav Kirchhoff On the Relation Between the Emmisive and Absorbtive Power (1882)

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More quotes by Gustav Kirchhoff

The quantity E is called the emissive power of the body.

On the Relation Between the Emmisive and Absorbtive Power (1882)

All heat rays follow the same laws in their propagation, which are known for light rays.

On the Relation Between the Emmisive and Absorbtive Power (1882)

Look here, I have succeeded at last in fetching some gold from the sun.

Under these conditions the following law holds : The ratio between the emissive and the absorptive power is the same for all bodies at the same temperature.

On the Relation Between the Emmisive and Absorbtive Power (1882)

Heat rays have the same nature as light rays... The invisible heat rays are distinguished from light rays only by the period of vibration or the wave length.

On the Relation Between the Emmisive and Absorbtive Power (1882)

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