Thermal Expansion

Thermal Expansion
❑Many substances expand when heated When
heated, the particles (atoms or molecules) in a Heat
substance vibrate more
❑This means they need more space, so the substance
expands Particles are the same size
❑thermal expansion arises from the change in the
separation between the constituent atoms or
molecules of the solid
❑ The particles in a substance do not expand
themselves!
Many bridges contain expansion joints so that
they can expand and contract without
breaking away from their supports or forming
unsafe gaps
 Contraction
➢The opposite happens when most substances are
cooled
➢The particles vibrate less
➢They need less space

➢The soft material used in the vertical joint shown in the

image is typically an expansion joint filler or sealant. This
material allows the wall to expand and contract due to
temperature changes, preventing cracks and structural
damage
➢In summer and winter, the overhead power lines will expand
and contract due to changes in temperature
 linear expansion

For moderate temperature changes, ∆L

is directly proportional to ∆T ∆L is also directly proportional to L0.
❑ Suppose a solid rod has a length L0 at some initial temperature T0. When the
temperature changes by ∆T, the length changes by ∆L.
❑ Experiments show that if ∆T is not too large, ∆L is directly proportional to ∆T.
❑ If two rods made of the same material have the same temperature change, but one is twice as
long as the other, then the change in its length is also twice as great.
❑ Therefore ∆L must also be proportional to L0.

 T  1
Example 1
Two metal rods, one aluminum and one brass, are each clamped at one end. At 0.0°C, the rods are each 50.0 cm long
and are separated by 0.024 cm at their unfastened ends. At what temperature will the rods just come into contact?
(Assume that the base to which the rods are clamped undergoes a negligibly small thermal expansion.
(αbrass= 19 × 10−6 k−, αAluminuml= 23 × 10− k− )

As a check on the solution

Example 2
Inside the wall of a house, an L-shaped section of hot-water pipe consists of three parts: a
straight, horizontal piece h = 28 cm long; an elbow; and a straight, vertical piece,l =134 cm long.
A stud and a secondstory floorboard ‫ ارضية الطابق الثانى‬hold the ends of this section of copper pipe
stationary. Find the magnitude and direction of the displacement of the pipe elbow when the
water flow is turned on, raising the temperature of the pipe from 18.08C to 46.58C.
The horizontal section expands according to

The vertical section expands similarly by

The vector displacement of the pipe elbow has magnitude

and is directed to the right below the horizontal at angle

Application: Bimetallic strip

❑ A bimetallic strip is made from two thin strips of metal that have different coefficients of
linear expansion. αbrass= 19 × 10-6 k−, αsteel= 12 × 10-6 k−
❑ When the strip is heated or cooled, the strip bends because each metal expands or contracts by
a different amount.
❑ The brass expands more than the steel when the bimetallic strip is heated.
❑ As the strip is cooled, the brass contracts more than the steel
❑ Bimetallic strips are commonly used in thermometers and thermostats.
Many thermostats have a bimetallic strip to turn on or shut off a heater.
 Thermal Stress
❑ Figure shows an example of the gaps architects and engineers put into their
designs to allow structures to expand and contract.
❑ What would happen if a designer left out such a gap?
❑ Imagine, for example, a steel beam whose ends are free. If the beam’s temperature rises,
the beam will expand; similarly, if its temperature drops, the beam will contract.
❑ Now imagine that the ends of the steel beam are clamped and that the clamps that keep the
beam from changing length apply compressive or tensile stress to the beam when its
temperature changes. Because this stress is a result of the beam’s temperature change, it is
called thermal stress. If the thermal stress is large enough, the structure may crack(‫ )كسر‬or
F / A
burst(‫)ينفجر‬. l / l =  T
o Y =
 l / lo F / A = Y  T
where Y is Young’s modulus
Example 3

A steel rod has a length L = 8 m and radius r = 1.5 cm when the temperature is 20 ◦C. Take α = 11
× 10−6 (◦C)−1 and Young’s modulus of the rod to be Y = 200 × 109 N/m2 (a) What is its length on a
hot day when the temperature is 50 ◦C? (b) If the rod’s ends were originally fixed, then find the
compression force on the rod?

(a)

LNEW = LOLD + ΔL = 8 +2.64×10-3= 8.00264

(b) F / A = Y  T
 Surface Thermal Expansion(Area Expansion)
❑ The length of an object changes with temperature, and hence it follows that its area changes as
well.
❑ To see precisely how the area changes, consider a square piece of metal of length L on a side.
The initial area of the square is A = L2.
❑ If the temperature of the square is increased by ∆T , the length of each side increases from L to
L + ∆L = L + αL∆T . As a result, the square has an increased area, A′, given by
New surface area = original surface area + increase in area

Now, if α∆T is much less than one—which is certainly the case for typical changes in
temperature, ∆T —then (α∆T)2 is even smaller. Hence, if we ignore this small contribution, we
find
 Anew = Aold + Aold γ (T2 – T1)
the coefficient of superficial expansion is twice the coefficient of linear expansion,
i.e. γ = 2α, to a very close approximation
Problem 4
A silver plate has an area of 800 mm2 at 15°C. Determine the increase in the area of the plate
when the temperature is raised to 100°C. Assume the coefficient of linear expansion of silver to
be 19 × 10−6 K−1
∆𝐴 = 𝛾 𝐴 ∆𝑇
Problem 5

Show that for a rectangular area of material having dimensions l by w, the coefficient of
superficial expansion γ ≈ 2α, where α is the coefficient of linear expansion.

γ = 2α
 Thermal expansion of solids and liquids
If a material having an initial volume Vo at temperature T1 and having a
coefficient of cubic expansion β, has its temperature raised to T2, then the new
volume V of the material is given by:
New volume = initial volume + increase in volume
V= 𝑉𝑜 + 𝛽𝑉𝑜 𝑇2 − 𝑇1
 … coefficient of volume expansion
Vo … initial volume
V =V −Vo … change in volume,
T=T2 – T1 …change in temperature (in centigrade or Kelvin)
 Problem 6

Show that for a rectangular block of material having dimensions l, w and h, the coefficient of
cubic expansion β ≈ 3α, where α is the coefficient of linear expansion.
Consider a solid box of dimensions l, w, and h. Its volume at some temperature Ti is
Vi = l wh. If the temperature changes to Ti + ΔT, its volume changes to Vi + Δ V

≈0 ≈0

we can neglect the terms

Example 7

A 200 cm3 glass flask is filled to the brim ‫حتى الحافه‬with mercury at 20°C. How much mercury
overflows when the temperature of the system is raised to 100°C? The coefficient of linear
expansion of the glass is 0.40 × 10− K−  coefficient of volume expansion for mercury 18 × 10−
K−
Problem 8

A rectangular glass block has a length of 100 mm, width 50 mm and depth 20 mm at 293 K. When
heated to 353 K its length increases by 0.054 mm. What is the coefficient of linear expansion of
the glass? Find also (a) the increase in surface area (b) the change in volume resulting from the
change of length.

(a)

(b)
Example 9
A brass sphere has a diameter of 50 mm at a temperature of 289 K. If the temperature of the sphere is
raised to 789 K, determine the (a) new diameter (b) the surface area (c) the volume of the sphere. Assume
the coefficient of linear expansion for brass is 18 × 10–6 K–1.
(a) L2= L1 + α L1 ΔT
L2= L1 +ΔL ΔL =α L1 ΔT

(b) A2= A1 +ΔA ΔA =γ A1 ΔT ΔA =2α A1 ΔT

A2= A1 + 2α A1 ΔT

(c)
 Thermal Expansion of Water
❑ Above 4 ◦C, water expands as its temperature rises, and thus its density decreases.
❑ Between 0 ◦C and 4 ◦C, however, water contracts as its temperature increases, and thus its
density increases.
❑ Hence, the density of water reaches a maximum value of 1,000 kg/m3 at 4 ◦C
❑ This unusual thermal expansion behavior of water explains why a pond or lake freezes only at
its surface. As the water on the surface is cooled towards the freezing point, it becomes
denser (heavier) than the water below it and sinks to the bottom.
❑ Warmer, less dense (lighter) water rises upward to take its place and this in turn is also cooled
down. The water only stops circulating this way when it has all cooled to 4 ◦C (the maximum
density).
❑ Further cooling below 4 ◦C makes the water on the surface less dense than the water below it,
so it stays on the surface until it freezes. In time, ice continues to build up at the surface, and
the denser warmer water at the bottom is unlikely to cool any further because it does not
circulate, and water near the bottom remains at 4 ◦C.
❑ Fish can survive by staying in the warmer deeper water.
‫شكرا ً لحسن استماعكم‬