PHY 131: Online Tutorial Test Assignment 2

Week: 25 May to 29 May 2020

Due date: 1 June 23:59
TEMPERATURE AND THERMAL EXPANSION – Total: 20
(1) On the Rankine temperature scale, which is sometimes used in engineering
applications, the freezing point of water is at 491.67 °R and the boiling point of water is
at 671.67 °R.
(i) Determine a relationship (a mathematical equation) between the Rankine and
Fahrenheit temperature scales. [3]
Solution:

The Rankine and Fahrenheit degrees are the same size, since the difference between the boiling
point and freezing point of water is the same for both:

Tfreeze = 491.67 °R = 32.00 °F Tboil = 671.67 °R = 212.0 °F

Tboil – Tfreeze = 180 °R = 180 °F mark for realizing difference in R is the same as difference in F

The difference in the freezing points of the two scales is 491.67 – 32.00 = 459.67.

OR mark for getting

value 459.67

The difference in the boiling points of the two scales is 671.67 – 212.0 = 459.67.

To get Rankine from Fahrenheit this amount must be added, so TR  TF  459.67 .

mark for final eq.

This is similar to the relationship between the Celsius and the Kelvin scales.

(ii) A healthy person has an oral temperature of 98.6F. Calculate what this
reading would be on the Rankine temperature scale. [2]
Solution:
mark for correct value and mark for unit

TR = TF + 459.67 = 98.6 F + 459.67 = 558.27 R

(2) Concrete sidewalks are always laid in sections, with gaps between each section. The
drawing shows three identical 2.4-m sections. The outer two are against immovable
walls. Two identical gaps between the three sections are provided so that thermal
expansion will not create thermal stress that could lead to cracks. Calculate the
minimum gap width necessary so that an increase in temperature of 32 C° will not
cause cracking of the concrete sections. [6]

Solution:

Each section of concrete expands as the temperature increases by an amount T. The amount of the
expansion L is proportional to the initial length of the section. Thus, to find the total expansion of
the three sections, we can apply this expression to the total length of concrete, which is
L0 = 3(2.4 m). Since the two gaps in the drawing are identical, each must have a minimum width
that is one half the total expansion.

Taking the value for the coefficient of thermal expansion for concrete, we find

1
L   L0T  12 106  C   3  2.4 m    32 C 
 

The minimum necessary gap width is one half this value or

1 12 106
2  C1  3  2.4 m   32 C  1.4 103 m

OR having factor 3 somewhere

Each section expands by L and there ae three sections, so total expansion is 3L.
Total gap is 2d , where d is the gap size.
having factor 2 somewhere

So 3L = 2d, equating L and d

mark for value mark for unit
getting a similar expression
3 3 3
∴𝑑= ∆𝐿 = α𝐿0 ∆𝑇 = (12 × 10−6 ℃−1 )(2.4)(32℃) = 1.4 × 10−3 m
2 2 2
(3) Two identical thermometers made of Pyrex glass contain identical volumes of mercury
and methyl alcohol, respectively. If the expansion of the glass is taken into account,
calculate how many times greater the distance between the degree marks on the methyl
alcohol thermometer is in comparison with the distance between the degree marks on
the mercury thermometer. [9]
Solution: Comment: There are different possible methods, but these must make SENSE.
Most students will get correct answer, but if the steps are not logical and correct, they do not get marks!

The cavity that contains the liquid in either Pyrex thermometer expands according to
Vg  gV0 T . On the other hand, the volume of mercury expands by an amount Vm  mV0 T ,
while the volume of alcohol expands by an amount Va  a V0 T . Therefore, the net change in
using volume expansion
volume for the mercury thermometer is

Vm  Vg  (m  g )V0 T finding diff in change in

volume for mercury, or similar
expression
while the net change in volume for the alcohol thermometer is

finding diff in change in

Va  Vg  ( a  g )V0T volume of alcohol, or similar
expression

In each case, this volume change is related to a movement of the liquid into a cylindrical region of
using volume of cylinder
2
the thermometer with volume r h , where r is the radius of the region and h is the height of the
region. For the mercury thermometer, therefore,

( m  g )V0 T
hm  2
finding some sort of h for mercury
r
Similarly, for the alcohol thermometer

(a  g )V0T
ha  finding some sort of h for alcohol
2
r

These two expressions can be combined to give the ratio of the heights, ha /hm . Taking the values
for the coefficients of volumetric expansion for methyl alcohol, Pyrex glass, and mercury from
literature, we divide the two expressions for the heights of the liquids in the thermometers and find
for seeing that V0 cancels
that
ratio of heights
ha a  g 1200 10 –6 (C ) 1  9.9  10–6 (C ) 1
   6.9
hm m  g 182 10 –6 (C ) 1  9.9  10–6 (C ) 1

Therefore, the degree marks are 6.9 times further apart on the alcohol thermometer than on the

mercury thermometer.