Thermal Expansion

Prof. Marlon Flores Sacedon

Department of Mathematics and Physics
College of Arts and Sciences
Visayas State University, Visca
Baybay City, Leyte, Phiippines

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 Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in shape, area,
and volume in response to a change in temperature, through heat
transfer.

Most materials expand when their temperature increase.

The decks of bridges need

special joints and supports to
allow for expansion.

A completely filled and

tightly capped bottle of You can loosen
water cracks when it is a metal jar lid
heated by running hot
water over it. .

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These are examples of Thermal Expansion
 Thermal Expansion

Two Kinds of Thermal Expansion

Linear Expansion
Volume Expansion

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Thermal Expansion

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Thermal Expansion

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 Linear Volume
Expansion Expansion
T1

Lo

T2

L
T2>T1

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 Linear Volume
Expansion Expansion
Vo @ T1
T1
Lo
L
T2
V@ T2
T2>T1 L
T2>T1
L Lo T V Vo T
L Lo T V Vo T
L L Lo V V Vo

L o T L o T2 T1 Vo T Vo T2 T1
Where: = coef. of linear expansion (1/K) Where: = coef. of volume expansion (1/K)
L = change in length (m) V = change in volume (m3)
L & Lo = final & initial length (m)
T2&T1= final & initial temperature (oC)
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V & Vo = final & initial volume (m3)
T2&T1= final & initial temperature (oC)
Coefficients of Linear Expansion Coefficients of Volume Expansion
Material [K-1 or (Co)-1] Material [K-1 or (Co)-1]
Aluminum 2.4x10-5 Aluminum 7.2x10-5
Brass 2.0x10-5 Brass 6.0x10-5
Copper 1.7x10-5 Copper 5.110-5
Glass 0.4-0.9x10-5 Glass 1.2-2.7x10-5
Invar 0.09x10-5 Invar 0.27x10-5
Quartz 0.04x10-5 Quartz 0.12x10-5
Steel 1.2x10-5 Steel 3.6x10-5
Ethanol 75x10-5
Carbon Disulfide 115x10-5
Glycerine 49x10-5
Mercury 18x10-5

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Relationship between coefficient of volume expansion
& coefficient of linear expansion
dV
V L 3
3L2
dL

dV 3L2 dL
Recall:
dV V dT
dL L dT

V dT 3L2 L dT
V 3L3
V 3V
3
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Coefficients of Linear Expansion Coefficients of Volume Expansion
Material [K-1 or (Co)-1] Material [K-1 or (Co)-1]
Aluminum 2.4x10-5 Aluminum 7.2x10-5
Brass 2.0x10-5 Brass 6.0x10-5
Copper 1.7x10-5 Copper 5.110-5
Glass 0.4-0.9x10-5 Glass 1.2-2.7x10-5
Invar 0.09x10-5 Invar 0.27x10-5
Quartz 0.04x10-5 Quartz 0.12x10-5
Steel 1.2x10-5 Steel 3.6x10-5
Ethanol 75x10-5
Carbon Disulfide 115x10-5
Relationship Glycerine 49x10-5
between coefficient

3
Mercury 18x10-5
of volume
expansion &
coefficient of linear
expansion

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Example 1: A surveyor uses a steel measuring tape that is exactly
50.000 m long at a temperature of 20 oC. What is its length on a hot
summer day when the temperature is 35 oC?
Lo
Solution
50 m
Temperature of tape @ 20oC

L=?
Temperature of tape @ 35oC

From table, the coefficient of linear expansion 1.2x10 5 (Co ) 1

L L Lo

L o T L o T2 T1
From the formula:

L Lo Lo T2 T1 Lo 1 T2 T1
Transforming

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Example 2: A glass flask with volume 200 cm3 is filled to the brim with
mercury at 20 oC. How much mercury overflows when the
temperature of the system is raised to 100 oC? The coefficient of
linear expansion of the glass is 0.40x10-5 K-1.

Solution Mercury overflows

( Vover)
Mercury,
expanded Glass flask, expanded
volume( VHg)
volume ( Vglass)

Mercury column Vover VHg Vglass

Vover Hg Vo T2 T1 glass Vo T2 T1
Glass flask
Vover Vo T2 T1 Hg glass
From table: Hg 18x10 5 Co 1
glass 0.40x10 5
C
o 1

1

glass 3 0.4x10 5 Co 1.2x10 5 Co

1

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Glass flask filled w/
mercury Vover 200100 20 18 x10 5 1.2 x10 5
@ T1=20oC @ T2=100oC Answer: = .
Assignment #1: The Humber Bridge in England has the worlds
longest single span, 1410m in length. Calculate the change in length of
steel deck of the span when the temperature increases from -5.0oC to
18.0oC.
Answer: 0.39 m

Assignment #2 : A metal rod is 40.125 cm long at 20.0oC and 40.148

cm long at 45.0oC. Calculate the average coefficient of linear
expansion of the rod for this temperature range. 2.3x10-5 (Co)-1
Answer:

Assignment #3 : A glass flask whose volume is 1000.00 cm3 at 0.0oC

is completely filled with mercury at this temperature. When flask and
mercury are warmed to 55.0oC, 8.95 cm3 of mercury overflow. If the
coefficient of volume expansion of mercury is 18.0x10-5 K-1, compute
the coefficient of volume expansion of the glass.Answer: 1.7x10-5 (Co)-1

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 Problem set
1) A Pendulum shaft of a clock is made of brass. What is the fractional
change in length of the shaft when it is cooled from 19.50oC to 5.00oC?
Answer: -2.9x10-4
2) An underground tank with a capacity of 1700L (1.70m3) is filled with
ethanol that has an initial temperature of 19.0oC. After the ethanol has
cooled off to the temperature of the tank and ground, which is 10.0oC,
how much air space will there be above the ethanol in the tank?
(Assume that the volume of the tank doesnt change.)
Answer: 2.3x10-5 (Co)-1

3) A metal rod that is 30.0 cm long expands by 0.0650 cm when its

temperature is raised from 0oC to 100oC. A rod of a different metal and
of the same length expands by 0.0350 cm for the same rise in
temperature. A third rod, also 30.0 cm long is made up of pieces of
each of the above metals placed end-to-end and expands 0.0580 cm
between 0oC and 100oC. Find the length of each portion of the
composite bar.
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Answer: 23.0cm, 7.0cm
eNd

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