Date: _____________

Physics 302/203 L
Experiment 9: Coefficient of Linear Expansion

Names: _____________________ Section: ______

Instructor: _____________________

1. Data and calculations: (4 pts)

L (mm) Rm (Ω) ΔL(mm) Rhot (Ω) Tm (0C) Thot (0C) ΔT (0C)

Copper 700 93.1 0.86 7.1 25.5 98 72.5

Aluminum 700 88.2 1.15 7.7 27.5 95 73.5

2. What is the unit of α, the thermal coefficient of linear expansion? (1 pt)

Inverse degree Celsius (1/oC)

3. Calculate α for copper and aluminum and compare with the theoretical values, given that
0 0
𝛼!" $%&'(&)*+,- = 17 ∗ 10./ ' and 𝛼1- $%&'(&)*+,- = 23 ∗ 10./ ' . (3 pts)
! !

𝟎.𝟖𝟔 𝟏 0 <!" $%&'(&)*+,- .𝜶𝑪𝒖 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍

𝜶𝑪𝒖 = ∗
𝟕𝟎𝟎 𝟕𝟐.𝟓
= 𝟏𝟔. 𝟗𝟒 ∗ 𝟏𝟎.𝟔 ' ⟹ <!" $%&'(&)*+,-
∗ 100 = 0.35% <
!
5% ⟹ 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑒

𝟏. 𝟏𝟓 𝟏 1 𝛼1- $%&'(&)*+,- − 𝜶𝑨𝒍 𝒆𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍

𝜶𝑨𝒍 = ∗ = 𝟐𝟐. 𝟑𝟓 ∗ 𝟏𝟎.𝟔 ⟹ ∗ 100
𝟕𝟎𝟎 𝟕𝟑. 𝟓 𝑜! 𝛼1- $%&'(&)*+,-
= 2.82% < 5% ⟹ 𝑃𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑠𝑒

4. How did the linear expansion coefficients for copper and aluminum compare? How can
you interpret this? ( 1.5 pts)

Copper has a smaller coefficient of linear expansion than Aluminum, which is an indication
that Aluminum expands more than Copper when both are subjected to heat. This result
implies that copper is more resistant to heat than aluminum.

5. Explain how linear expansion of metal rods can be used as a thermometer. What would be
some of the problems with this method? (1.5 pt)
 Knowing the expected amount of expansion that a certain metal would undergo, in addition
to knowing the coefficient of linear expansion, then the temperature change that a metal
undergoes can be determined.
The drawback of such method has to do with thermal isolation and therefore thermal
leakage, as it very challenging to avoid any thermal loss when performing calorimetry.

6. Most material expands when heated. What can you conclude about α for materials that
contract when heated? (1.5 pt)

For materials that contract, ΔL is negative, and therefore the coefficient α for such
materials is also negative.

7. When a mercury (Hg) thermometer is placed in hot water, the level of the mercury
initially drops before it begins to rise. Why? (1.5 pts)

Heat reaches the glass of the thermometer first, which causes the latter to undergo
expansion and therefore the mercury level seems to drop. Expansion of the glass stops once
thermal equilibrium is established. In that case, heat flows into mercury causing it to expand
until thermal equilibrium is reached, and hence the mercury level rises again.

8. A Steel bridge is 1280 m in length. What is the bridges total expansion if the temperature
0
changes from 0°C to + 40°C ? Given that 𝛼I)&&- = 12.4 ∗ 10./ ' (1.5 pts)
!

∆𝐿 = 𝛼J)&&- 𝐿K ∆𝑇 = 12.4 ∗ 10./ ∗ 1280 ∗ 40 = 0.63 𝑚

9. A slab of concrete used in highway construction is set in place when the ambient
temperature is 20.0°C. If its length at that time is 20.478m, calculate the minimum gap
required between concrete slabs if buckling is to be prevented. Assume the maximum
0
temperature that will be reached is 55°C. 𝛼!'L+(&)& = 13 ∗ 10./ ' (1.5 pts)
!

∆𝐿 = 𝛼!'L+(&)& 𝐿K ∆𝑇 = 13 ∗ 10./ ∗ 20.478 ∗ (55 − 20) = 0.0093 𝑚

10. From your results, derive the coefficient of volume expansion for copper and aluminum.
Show your calculations.(Only apply the final form that is established without
mathematically deriving it) (1 pts)

𝛽 = 𝐶𝑜𝑒𝑓𝑓𝑖𝑐𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝐸𝑥𝑝𝑎𝑛𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 3 ∗ 𝛼M

1
𝛽!" = 3 ∗ 𝟏𝟔. 𝟗𝟒 ∗ 𝟏𝟎.𝟔 = 𝟓. 𝟎𝟖𝟐 ∗ 𝟏𝟎.𝟓
𝑜!
 1
𝛽1- = 3 ∗ 𝟐𝟐. 𝟑𝟓 ∗ 𝟏𝟎.𝟔 = 𝟔. 𝟕𝟎𝟓 ∗ 𝟏𝟎.𝟓
𝑜!