DATA and OBSERVATIONS

TRIAL / TYPE OF TUBE

Initial Length of Tube, Lo

Initial Resistance of Thermistor
at Room Temperature, Rrm
Initial Temperature, t rm

SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS

Change in Length of Tube,

COPPER:

Resistance of Thermistor at
Final Temperature, Rhot
Final Temperature of the Tube,
t hot

Change in temperature of the

Tube, (t hot t rm)

RRM =92,600
R H =95, 447 ( 26 )
R L=91,126(27)
R H R RM
=x
R H R L
t room=t h+ x

Experimental Coefficient of
Linear Expansion, experimental

95, 44792,600
=0.6589
95, 44791,126

Actual Coefficient of Linear

Expansion, actual

t room=26 +0.6589
t room=26. 6589

Percentage of error

T =t HOT t ROOM
T =80. 613526. 6589
T =53.9546
L=0.74 mm
Lo=750 mm

copper=

0.74 mm
(750)(53.9546)

COPPER=18.4 10 /C
ACTUAL=16.80 106 /C

SAMPLE COMPUTATIONS
ALUMINUM:

| AV EV |

ERROR =

AV

100

ERROR
18.4 10616.80 106
100
16.80 106

RRM =94,300
R H =95, 447 ( 26 )
R L=91,126(27)
R H R RM
=x
R H R L
t room=t h+ x

ERROR=9.5

95, 44794,300
=0.26545
95, 44791,126

R HOT =10, 160

t room=26 +0.26545
t room=26. 2654

x=

10, 83710, 610

10,83710, 467
x=0.6135

T =t HOT t ROOM
T =55.8226. 2654
T =29. 5554

t HOT =80+0.6135
t HOT =80.6135

L=0.475mm
Lo=730 mm

ALUMINUM =

0.475
(730)(29.5554)

COPPER=22.02 106 /C
ACTUAL=23.80 106 /C

R HOT =26, 600

27, 47526, 500
27, 47526, 409
x=0.8208
x=

t HOT =55 +0.8208

t HOT =55.8208

| AV EV |

ERROR =

AV

100

ERROR
23.80 10622.02 106
100
23.80 106
ERROR=7.48

GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. In the performance of the experiment, cite the possible sources of
error and its effect in the computed values. What are the
recommendations then to minimize such error?
One of the problem that we have encountered during the experiment
was because of the room temperature, which was also a possible
source of error. The temperature inside the room makes the metal to
cool faster than the normal temperature ,since we were isolated in an
air-conditioned room. Also, materials that are left inside the metal
tube can affect the experiment. These materials also absorbs the
heat that the steam generator releases, like the water which
remained inside the tube after conducting a trial. Since water is a
liquid, this expands faster than the solid metal which affects the
expansion of the solid.

2. Would the result be different if the condensed water was not

drained from the expansion tube? Why?
Yes, it would affect the result if the condensed water was not drained
from the expansion tube. The result would be different because the
condensed water inside the tube absorbs the heat from the steam,
and when there is no condensation inside the pipe, the steam energy
would not be subjected into heat reduction.
3. From the result of the experiment, compute for the coefficient of
expansion for area and volume of the metals.
Since, =2 and =3 . Having these as basis, the coefficients
for the two metals are as follows:
ALUMINUM:

COPPER:

=3.63 105
=5.54 10 5

=4.41 10
=6.61 105

PROBLEMS
1. On a hot day where the temperature is 32 , the distance between two
lamp posts on the road is 30m as measured by a metal tape whose
coefficient of linear expansion is hypothetically 50 106 /C . If the tape
gives its correct reading at 20 , what is the actual distance between the
lamp posts?
Solution:

L=LO T
L=(30)(50
L=0.018 m
L=300.0 .18

106
)( 2032 )
C

L=29.98 m

2. An aluminum rod and a copper rod have the same length of 100 cm at
5 . At what temperatures would one of the rods be 0.5 mm longer
than the other? Which rod is longer at such temperature?
Solution:

L ALLCU =0.5 mm

[ 100100 (23.8 106 )(T f 5 )] [ 100100 ( 16.8 106 ) ( T f 5 ) ]=0.5 mm

0.00238 T f 0.00168 T f 0.0035=0.5 mm
0.0007 T f =0.5035
T f =719.29

Aluminum is longer by 0.5 mm

ANALYSIS
The experiment was about Linear Expansion. And linear
expansion is said to be the change in length due to change in
temperature. In this experiment, we were assigned to study the two
metal tubes and for us to determine their coefficient of linear expansion.
And for our group to be able to perform this experiment, we were
able to use the materials such as two metal tubes aluminum and
copper, digital multi tester, an expansion base with built-in gauge and
thermistor, a foam insulator, a rubber tubing, and a steam generator.
As required from the procedure, we first measured the initial
length of the aluminum and copper tubes; wherein we got 730 mm and
750 mm respectively. We also measured their initial resistance; wherein
we obtained 94, 300 and 92, 600 at temperatures 26.2654
and 26.6589 . After measuring for their initial length and
resistance, we started conducting our experiment. Using the steam
generator, we produced heat in the form of steam, which will enter the
tubes. After having these values, we set the dial gauge reading to zero

and started the steam generator. We waited for minutes until there will
be steam produced from the end of the tube attached from the
expansion apparatus that was connected from the steam generator. As
we observed the presence of the steam, we simultaneously gathered
the data we needed from here and we obtained values of the resistance
of thermistor at final temperature as 26, 600 , for the aluminum
tube and 10, 610 , for the copper tube. While for the final
temperature of the tubes, we got 55.8208 for the aluminum tube
and 80.6135 for the copper tube.
Based on the statements above and the values that we obtained,
our group observed that as the temperature increases, the length of
tube also increases or in other words, the change in temperature is
directly proportional to the change in length, where the initial length is
constant. From here we learned that this principle can also be
expressed as: L=LO t . And from this equation, we manipulated it
L

in to: = L t , which is also the formula in solving for the coefficient

O
of linear expansion. Using this, we obtained 22.02 106 / C for
aluminum tube and 18.40 106 / C for copper tube. Comparing
these to their actual values lead us to 7.48% and 9.50% as percent
error respectively.
CONCLUSION

This experiment, Linear Expansion, has two main objectives.

The first one is for us to determine the coefficient of linear expansion
of a metal rod aluminum and copper, and the other one is for us to
determine the factors affecting the change in length in thermal
expansion.
Our group was able to follow the procedures needed for this
experiment, as elaborated from the analysis, and so we were able to
obtain the values we needed.
Our group was able to observe, based on the data we gathered
from the experiment that as the change in temperature increases, the
change in length also increases. To simplify, the change in length
L , is directly proportional to the change in temperature t ,
where the initial lengths were held as constant. Representing this
principle as an equation: L=LO t . Having this equation as a
basis, we manipulated it to get the formula in getting for the

coefficient of linear expansion; wherein we arrived with

L
LO t .

Using this formula, we were able to solve for the experimental value
of the coefficient of linear expansion for the aluminum and copper
tube. Comparing it to their actual value, we obtained percent error of
7.48 % and 9.50 % respectively.
We were also able to determine the factors affecting the
change in thermal length expansion. There are three factors that
affects the change in length in thermal expansion: the coefficient o
linear expansion, initial length of the body, and the change in
temperature. These factors are directly proportional to the change in
length of the material. This implies that if these factors increase, so
as the change in length.
From the statements above, our group was able to determine
the coefficient of linear expansion of metal tubes and was also able
to determine the factors affecting the change in length of thermal
expansion. Having met these objectives, our group can say that we
were successful in conducting this experiment.
GUIDE QUESTIONS
1. In the performance of the experiment, cite the possible sources of
error and its effect in the computed values. What are the
recommendations then to minimize such error?
One of the problem that we have encountered during the experiment
was because of the room temperature, which was also a possible
source of error. The temperature inside the room makes the metal to
cool faster than the normal temperature ,since we were isolated in an
air-conditioned room. Also, materials that are left inside the metal
tube can affect the experiment. These materials also absorbs the
heat that the steam generator releases, like the water which
remained inside the tube after conducting a trial. Since water is a
liquid, this expands faster than the solid metal which affects the
expansion of the solid.
2. Would the result be different if the condensed water was not
drained from the expansion tube? Why?

Yes, it would affect the result if the condensed water was not drained
from the expansion tube. The result would be different because the
condensed water inside the tube absorbs the heat from the steam,
and when there is no condensation inside the pipe, the steam energy
would not be subjected into heat reduction.
3. From the result of the experiment, compute for the coefficient of
expansion for area and volume of the metals.

PROBLEMS
1. On a hot day where the temperature is 32 , the distance between two
lamp posts on the road is 30m as measured by a metal tape whose
coefficient of linear expansion is hypothetically 50 106 /C . If the tape
gives its correct reading at 20 , what is the actual distance between the
lamp posts?
Solution:

L=LO T
L=(30)(50
L=0.018 m
L=300.0 .18

L=29.98 m

106
)( 2032 )
C

2. An aluminum rod and a copper rod have the same length of 100 cm at
5 . At what temperatures would one of the rods be 0.5 mm longer
than the other? Which rod is longer at such temperature?
Solution: