UNIVERSITI TUNKU ABDUL RAHMAN

CENTRE FOR FOUNDATION STUDIES (CFS)

FOUNDATION IN SCIENCE
FHSC1024 THERMODYNAMICS AND ELECTROMAGNETISM

Tutorial 1: Temperature and Thermal Expansion

1. Find the values of X and Y in the following expressions:

(i) X oF = 45 oC = Y K
(ii) -45 oF = X oC = (Y+13) K
(iii) 515 K = X oF = (300–Y) oC
[Answer: (i) 113 and 318, (ii) -42.7 and 217.3, (iii) 468 and 58]

2. Engineers A, B and C come from different part of the world and are working together under a
project X which requires them to provide heat treatments to s solid compound. Engineer A
first heats up the compound to a temperature of 1850 K. Engineer B then cools the compound
down by 540 oF before engineer C cools it down further by another 250 oC. Determine the
final temperature (in Kelvin scale) of the compound at the end of the heat treatments.
[Answer: 1300 K]
3. A cylindrical brass sleeve is to be shrink-fitted over a brass shaft whose diameter is 3.212 cm
at 0°C. The diameter of the sleeve is 3.196 cm at 0°C. (αbrass = 19 × 10–6 °C–1)
(a) To what temperature must the sleeve be heated before it will slip over the shaft?
(b) Alternatively, to what temperature must the shaft be cooled before it will slip into the
sleeve?
[Answer: (a) 263 oC, (b) -262 oC]

4. A pair of eyeglass frames are made of epoxy plastic with the coefficient of linear expansion
of 1.30 × 10–4 °C–1. At room temperature (20.0°C), the frames have circular lens holes 2.20
cm in radius. To what temperature must the frames be heated if lenses 2.21 cm in radius are to
be inserted into them? [Answer: 55.0 oC]

5. At 25.00 oC, an aluminium ring has an inner diameter of 4.000 cm and a brass rod has a
diameter of 4.040 cm. (αbrass = 19.00 × 10-6 oC-1, αaluminium = 24.00 × 10-6 oC-1)
(i) If only the ring is heated, what temperature must it reach so that it will just slip over
the rod?
(ii) If both are heated together, what temperature must they both reach so that the ring
just slips over the rod?
[Answer: (i) 441.7 oC, (ii) 2104 oC]

6. Two identical material rods are mounted on the wall with a gap, x as shown in figure above.
Calculate the decrease in the gap x between the rods if both rods expand uniformly to meet
each other when the temperature increases by 40 oC. Given that the coefficient of linear
expansion of the material is 5.0 × 10-6 oC-1.
[Answer: 7 × 10-5 m]

1
7. (a) The melting point of lead is 330 oC. What is the corresponding temperature on the
Fahrenheit scale?

(b) A square brass plate, 5 cm on a side, has a distinct hole of an area of 5.9084 cm 2 at a
temperature 20 oC. This hole has to slide over a cylindrical shaft of cross sectional
area 5.9100 cm2 (at a temperature of 20 oC).
Given that the coefficient of thermal linear expansion for brass is 19 × 10 -6 K-1. To
what temperature must the brass plate be heated so that it can conveniently slide over
the cylindrical shaft which still remains at 20 oC?
[Answer: (a) 626 oF, (b) 27.1 oC]

8. The active element of a certain laser is an ordinary glass rod 20 cm long and 1.0 cm in
diameter (αglass = 9.0 × 10–6 °C–1). If the temperature of the rod increases by 75°C, find its
increment in the
(a) length,
(b) diameter, and
(c) volume.
[Answer: (a) 1.4×10-2 cm, (b) 6.8×10-4 cm, (b) 3.2×10-2 cm3]

9. A liquid with a coefficient of volume expansion of β just fills a spherical flask of volume V0 at
temperature T (figure above). The flask is made of a material that has a coefficient of linear
expansion of α. The liquid is free to expand into a capillary of cross-sectional area A at the
top.
(a) Show that if the temperature increases by ΔT, the liquid rises in the capillary by the
amount Δh = (V0/A)(β – 3α)ΔT.
(b) For a typical system, such as a mercury thermometer, why is it a good approximation
to neglect the expansion of the flask? (βHg = 1.82 × 10–4 °C–1, αglass = 3.2 × 10–6 °C–1)
[Answer: (b) 20 times the expansion of the flask]

10. (a) Define:

(i) temperature
(ii) heat
(iii) thermal equilibrium

(b) Calculate the changes in the volume of the aluminium cube that is 5.00 cm on each
edge when the tube is ehated from 10.0 °C to 60.0 °C.
(Given that coefficient of linear expansion is 23 × 10 –6 °C–1).
[Answer: 4.31x10-7 m]