UNIVERSITY OF SANTO TOMAS

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING
INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION AND COMPUTING SCIENCES
PHYSICS 104L, PHYSICS LABORATORY

Coefficient of Linear Expansion (Manual)

Materials: Linear expansion apparatus, steel, copper and brass tubes, steam generator, and rubber
tubing

Methodology:

1] Measure the length of the rod using a meter stick and record it as the initial length, L
0
, in the Data
Table.
2] Determine the room temperature and record it as the initial temperature, T
0
.
3] Connect the apparatus as shown below in Figure 1a.

Figure 1a. Linear Expansion Experiment using a Steam Figure 1b. Linear Expansion Apparatus by LD Didactic GmbH (n.d.).
Generator by LD Didactic GmbH (n.d.).

4] Adjust the tube while tightening the screw so that the scale pointer indicates a zero reading.
5] Fill the steam generator with water
3
4
its capacity. Cover it tightly, then connect it to the tube outlet
near the scale with rubber tubing. Connect another rubber tubing to the other outlet with its other end
connected to an empty container.
6] Connect the steam generator to 220 V source. Wait until water boils and steam is passed into the tube.
7] The expansion of the rod will be indicated by the scale reading. Record it as the change in length, !L,
of the tube, at the final temperature. Record the steam temperature as the final temperature, T
f
, of
the tube.
8] Compute for the coefficient of linear expansion of the rod using the formula: !=
!L
L
0
(T
f
-T
0
)

9] Repeat procedures 1 to 8 with the other rods.

Table 1. Coefficient of Linear Expansion of some common solids by C.H. Colwell (2014).

References:
LD Didactic GmbH. (n.d.). Longitudinal Expansion Apparatus Instruction Sheet. Retrieved from:
http://www.ld-didactic.de/documents/en-US/GA/GA/3/381/381341e.pdf
Colwell, C.H. (2014). PhysicsLAB. Retrieved from
http://dev.physicslab.org/PracticeProblems/Worksheets/APB/Heat/thermalexpansion.aspx