THERMAL EXPANSION

WHAT IS THERMAL EXPANSION?

• When a material is heated its dimension changes. This phenomenon is called thermal
expansion. A material expands in all three dimensions, but for purposes of simplicity, we
have equations for systems involving expansion in one, two or all three dimensions.
• If we just consider an expansion in one dimension, we have an expansion in the length of
the object, called linear expansion. An expansion in two dimensions involves a change in
the area, while a change in all dimensions involve a volume expansion.
LINEAR EXPANSION

• Materials expand when heated and contract when cooled. If you notice the railroad
tracks of the Philippine National Railroad, there are gaps between the rails. This was done
to allow expansion of the steel to prevent curvatures due to heat.
• Trains that pass over these tracks heat it up as friction between the wheels and track
transfer heat to the rails. Tracks are also exposed to heat during the day. Steel varies the
original length between the summer and cold seasons.
• From the results of the experiments, a change in temperature causes solids to change in
length or shape by an amount proportional to their original length and ∆T, temperature
change. The original length of a metal rod is Lo, its change in length is ∆L after its
temperature changes by ∆T.
• ∆L = άLo ∆T
• ά is called the coefficient of linear expansion. It is a constant which depends upon the
nature of the material.
COEFFICENT OF LINEAR EXPANSION
EXAMPLE PROBLEM
VOLUME EXPANSION
COEFFICIENT OF VOLUME EXPANSION
EXAMPLE PROBLEM
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