Republic of the Philippines

Department of Education
REGION VIII (EASTERN VISAYAS)
SCHOOLS DIVISION OF BORONGAN CITY
EASTERN SAMAR NATIONAL COMPREHENSIVE HIGH SCHOOL
Alang-Alang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar

Module 3 in Physics 2
Quantitatively Investigating Thermal Expansion and Contraction in Solids

Have you ever noticed gaps in a bridge or a sidewalk? Before you

begin this module, look at the images below. These structures are built with
deliberate spaces.

Source: DPWH_Standard_Specifications_on_Bridges_(Design_Parameters).pptx

Why do you think engineers leave these gaps? What might happen to
the solid materials of the bridge on a very hot day compared to a cold
night?
This module will help you answer that question, not just with a
description, but with calculations. You will discover the factors that control
how much a solid expands or contracts and learn to predict these changes
quantitatively. Let's start by watching a simple but powerful demonstration.

Watch and Explore

Before reading further, please watch this short video. Link is provided
below. Pay close attention to how a small amount of heat creates a visible
movement.

Video: Heat Expands a Metal Rod by funsciencedemos

Link: Heat Expands a Metal Rod - YouTube

As you watch, think about these questions: (No need to write answers..)
1. What happens to the length of the metal rod when heat is applied?
2. What is the purpose of the pointer (the needle)?
3. Based on this, what do you predict would happen if the rod were cooled
down?

Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School

Alang-Alang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
E-mail Add.: 303500@[Link] / esnchs@[Link]
Understanding Thermal Expansion and Compression
You have just observed thermal expansion. When a solid, like the metal
rod in the video, is heated, its particles gain energy and vibrate more. This
increased vibration causes them to take up a slightly larger volume, so the
solid expands in all directions. The pointer in the video magnified this small
expansion, making it clearly visible.
The opposite process, thermal compression, happens when a solid is
cooled. The particles lose energy, vibrate less, and move closer together,
causing the solid to contract or "compress."

The key question is: How much does it expand or contract? The answer
depends on three specific factors:

1. The Kind of Material: Different materials expand at different rates. For

example, aluminum expands nearly twice as much as steel for the same
temperature change. This property is called the coefficient of linear
expansion and is given the symbol 𝜶 (alpha). Each material has its own
unique 𝜶 value.

2. The Amount of Temperature Change (ΔT): The greater the increase in

temperature, the more the solid expands. The greater the decrease, the
more it compresses.

3. The Original Length (L₀): A longer object will have a greater total change
in length than a shorter object made of the same material and subjected
to the same temperature change. Think of a long bridge versus a short
ruler.

These three factors are related by a simple but powerful formula.

The Mathematics of Thermal Expansion

The change in length (ΔL) of a solid due to a temperature change is
calculated using this equation:

∆𝑳 = 𝜶𝑳𝟎 ∆𝑻
Where:

• ΔL = the change in length (how much it expands or compresses), in meters

(m) or centimeters (cm).
• 𝜶 = the coefficient of linear expansion, in per degree Celsius (/°C). This is a
constant for a given material.
• L₀ = the original length of the solid, in meters (m) or centimeters (cm).
• ΔT = change in temperature (∆𝑇 = 𝑇𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑎𝑙 − 𝑇𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑎𝑙 ), in degrees Celsius (°𝐶)

A positive ΔL means expansion (heating), and a negative ΔL means

compression (cooling). This is the very equation engineers use to design the
expansion joints you saw in the bridge image.

Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School

Alang-Alang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
E-mail Add.: 303500@[Link] / esnchs@[Link]
Sample Problems
Let's apply the formula. Here is a table of coefficients for common
metals. We will use these values to solve for different unknowns.

Material Coefficient of Linear Expansion (α) at 20°C (in /°C)

Aluminum 0.000023 = 2.3 × 10⁻⁵
Brass 0.000019 = 1.9 × 10⁻⁵
Copper 0.000017 = 1.7 × 10⁻⁵
Steel 0.000012 = 1.2 × 10⁻⁵
Lead 0.000029 = 2.9 × 10⁻⁵
Problem 1: Calculating Expansion (Finding ΔL)
A steel bridge section is exactly 20.000 meters long at 15°C. If the
temperature on a hot summer day reaches 40°C, how much will it expand?
Given: L₀ = 20.000 m
𝛼 steel = 1.2 × 10⁻⁵/°C
Tinitial = 15°C
Tfinal= 40°C
Unknow: ∆L = ?
Solution:
ΔT = 40°C – 15°C = 25°C.

ΔL = 𝛼L₀ΔT = (1.2 × 10⁻⁵ /°C) × (20.000 m) × (25°C)

ΔL = 0.006 m = 6.0 mm
Engineers must design expansion joints to accommodate this 6 mm
change.

Problem 2: Finding the Temperature Change (Finding ΔT)

An aluminum rod is 1.500 m long. When heated, it expands by 0.345
mm. If the initial temperature was 20°C, what was the final temperature?
Given: L₀ = 1.500 m,
𝛼 Al = 2.3 × 10⁻⁵ /°C
ΔL = 0.345 mm = 0.000345 m
Tinitial = 20°C
Unknown: Tfinal = ?
Solution:
For ΔT:
∆𝐿
∆𝑇 =
𝛼𝐿0
0.000345 𝑚
∆𝑇 =
(2.3𝑥10−5 /°𝐶)(1.500𝑚)
∆𝑇 = 10°𝐶

For Tfinal:
ΔT = Tfinal– Tinitial
Tfinal = Tinitial + ΔT
Tfinal = 20°C + 10°C
Tfinal = 30°C.

Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School

Alang-Alang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
E-mail Add.: 303500@[Link] / esnchs@[Link]
Problem 3: Finding the Material (Finding α)
A 2.00 m long copper pipe is heated from 20°C to 80°C, and its length
increases by 2.04 mm. What is its coefficient of linear expansion? Does it
match the table?

Given: L₀ = 2.00 m
ΔT = 80°C – 20°C = 60°C
ΔL = 2.04 mm = 0.00204 m
Unknown: 𝛼=?
Solution:
ΔL = 𝛼L₀ΔT

For 𝜶:
𝛼 = ΔL / (L₀ · ΔT)
𝛼 = 0.00204 m / (2.00 m × 60°C)
𝛼 = 0.00204 / 120
𝛼 = 0.000017 /°C
𝛼 = 1.7 × 10⁻⁵ /°C

This matches the table value for copper perfectly.

Independent Practice - Complete the Table

Instructions: Below is a table with data for different metal rods. Each row has
one missing piece of information. Use the formula ΔL = α L₀ ΔT and the
coefficient table above to calculate the missing value. Show a complete
solution for each problem in your notebook. Pay close attention to units
(convert mm to m when necessary: 1 mm = 0.001 m).

Rod Original Initial Temp Final Temp

Change in Coefficient
Material Length (L₀) (°C) (°C) Length (ΔL) (𝜶)
(in mm)
Aluminum 1.000 m 20 70 ___________
Steel 0.500 m 15 ___________ 0.12 mm
Brass 2.000 m 10 35 ___________
Copper ___________ 22 62 0.68 mm
Lead 0.800 m ___________ 50 0.464 mm

Reflection and Connection (Write your answer on your notebook.)

1. Look back at the bridge image at the beginning of this module. Based on
your calculations, especially Problem 1, explain in your own words why the
gaps are necessary. What would happen if the bridge sections were fitted
tightly together with no gaps?
2. What generalization could you make about the effects of a temperature
change on the length of a solid?
3. Why is it important for scientists and engineers to know the coefficient of
linear expansion (𝛼) for materials they work with? Think of other examples
besides bridges (e.g., in electronics, pipelines, or glass cookware).

Eastern Samar National Comprehensive High School

Alang-Alang, Borongan City, Eastern Samar
E-mail Add.: 303500@[Link] / esnchs@[Link]