Planck's quantum hypothesis
= Planck's quantum hypothesis
{c}
{title2=$E_n=nh\nu$}
The assumption that energy exchange with a mode of <frequency> $\nu$ occurs in discrete steps $h\nu$. A thermal oscillator with $E_n=nh\nu$ has $\langle E\rangle=h\nu/(e^{h\nu/(k_BT)}-1)$, recovering <equipartition> for small $h\nu/(k_BT)$ and exponential suppression for large values.