EXPERIMENT 105

Linear Expansion
DATA SHEET

Trial/Type of Tube Brass Tube

Initial Length of Tube, Lo 701 mm

Initial Resistance of Thermistor at Room 103300 Ω

Temperature, Ro

Initial Temperature, To 24 oC

Change in Length of Tube, ΔL 0.8 mm

Resistance of Thermistor at Final 70120 Ω

Temperature, R

Final Temperature of the Tube, T 85 oC

Change in Temperature of the Tube, ΔT 61 Co

Experimental Coefficient of Linear 1.87x10-5 / Co

Expansion, αexperimental

Actual Coefficient of Linear Expansion, αactual 1.93x10-5 / Co

Percentage Error 3.11 %

Sample Computation:
 Change in Temperature of the Tube, ΔT
Given: To = 24 oC T = 85 oC
Sol’n:
∆ T =T −T o=85° C−24 ° C=61C °

 Experimental Coefficient of Linear Expansion, αexperimental

Given: ΔL = 0.8 mm Lo = 701 mm ΔT = 61 Co
Sol’n:

∆L 0.8 mm 1.87 x 10−5

α experiemental = = =
Lo ∆ T (701 mm)(61C ° ) C°

 Percentage Error, % Error

Given: AV = 1.93x10-5 / Co EV = 1.87x10-5 / Co
Sol’n:

| AV −EV | |1.93 x 10−5−1.87 x 10−5|

% Error= x 100= x 100=3.11 %
AV 1.93 x 10−5
DATA ANALYSIS
All materials, solid, liquid, or gas experience a change in its dimension whenever there is
a change in its temperature. Materials in general expand when the temperature increases and
contract when the temperature decreases, with the exception of water which expands
anomalously at temperature between 0 and 4 Co. The change in dimension could be dimensional
which known as linear expansion, it may be two dimensional which is expansion of area, or three
dimensional which known as volume expansion.
Linear expansion happens in materials when its temperature increases. This occurs in all
phases of matter, it depends however on its molecular structure. When solids are heated, it
increase in size, but are smaller than liquid and gas due to its fixed shape. Meanwhile, liquids
expand more than solids, as their bonds are less tight. However, gasses expand more than liquids,
since their molecules are further apart and are weakly attracted to one another in which the heat
causes the molecule to move faster, hence, increasing its volume. This concludes that the change
in the body’s dimension is a function of the change in temperature and the amount of expansion
depends on the material and the original size of the body. In this experiment, the theory of linear
expansion was utilized to determine the coefficient of linear expansion of metal rod, and to
verify the dependence of a body’s change in length to its change in temperature as well as to the
kind of material.
Based on the data above, a change in the length of the brass tube was observed after the
steam generator supplied heat to it. This happens due to linear expansion. In which there is an
increase in the length of the brass tube whenever there is an increase in its temperature, vice
versa. Moreover, the obtained change in temperature was 61 C o which is less than 100 C o. Thus,
this proved the theory of linear expansion— the change in the length ΔL is directly proportional
to both the change in temperature ΔT and the initial length L o of the rod. It also proved the
statement above which solids, when heated, experiences a small increase in size due to its fixed
shape. On the other hand, it can also be observed that the resistance of the thermistor had
decreased when the temperature of the brass tube increased. It is possible to conclude that the
thermistor resistance is inversely proportional to the metal's temperature. Despite the fact that it
was not directly observed, the dial gauge indicated that there was a noticeable increase in the
length of the tube after it had been exposed to heat.

Error Analysis
There are errors occurred during the experiment due to the percent error calculated
between the actual and experimental coefficient of linear expansion which is 3.11%. The
following errors to be stated are just assumptions since the experiment was not conducted hands-
on. The first potential source of error was the contaminations present inside the brass tube which
may have affected its resistance and temperature. Another source of error was the inaccurate
measurement of the initial length of the tube can attribute to a small error in the experimental
value of the coefficient of linear expansion since the use of meter stick is not capable of
measuring up to the exact millimeter measure of the tube. The last potential error was
determining how many times dial gauge rotated.
Recommendation
In order to avoid the errors mentioned above for the future experiment, the following
must be done: (1) make sure that the brass tube is clean in which it doesn’t have rust and must be
free from any unwanted particles that may stick on it; (2) more accurate measuring instruments
should be used to measure the length of the metal tube; and (3) assign an attentive member that
can easily count the times the dial gauge rotated.

CONCLUSION
The objectives were successfully achieved through utilizing the theory of linear
expansion during the experiment. The coefficient of linear expansion was determined through
the ratio of the change in length to the original length for every degree change in temperature.
The experimental coefficient of linear expansion obtained from brass tube is 1.87x10-5 / Co.
As the steam generator supplied heat to the brass tube, the length of the brass tube
increased caused by the increased in its temperature, vice versa. It can be inferred that the change
in the body’s dimension is a function of the change in temperature. Hence, it verified the
dependence of a body’s change in length to its change in temperature.
The brass tube as a solid material, when heated, experiences a small increase in size due
to its fixed shape compared to liquid and gas which expands more. It can be inferred that the
amount of expansion depends on the molecular structure of the material. Hence, it verified the
dependence of a body’s change in length to the kind of material.