Linear Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Lab

Reading Assignment:
Fundamentals of Physics, Halliday, Resnick and Walker Ed 8, Chapter 18, Sections 4-7

Introduction:
 Most materials expand when heated through a temperature range that does not produce a
change of phase. The added heat increases the vibrational kinetic energy of the atoms in the
material, which in turn increases the distance between the atoms. In an isotropic material, the
expansion occurs equally in all dimensions.

 If an object of length L1 is heated through a small temperature change ∆T, the change in length
∆L is proportional to the original length L1 and to the change in temperature:

DL=αL1 DT (1)

The proportionality constant is known as the coefficient of linear expansion.

  In analogy to the coefficient of linear expansion, we also define coefficients of areal and
volume expansion (and respectively) as follows:

ΔA=γA 1 ΔT (2)

ΔV =βV 1 ΔT (3)

 The real world is almost always more complex than implied by these equations. The coefficient
αcan vary with temperature, so that the amount of expansion not only depends upon the
temperature change but also upon the absolute temperature of the material. Some materials
are not isotropic and have a different value for the coefficient of linear expansion dependent
upon the axis along which the expansion is measured. For instance, with increasing
temperature, calcite (CaCO3) crystals expand along one crystal axis and contract (α< 0) along
another axis.

Equipment List
 Rotary Motion Sensor
 Thermistor Sensor
 Steam Generator
 Thermal Expansion Apparatus
o 40 cm base with thermistor
o 3 metal rods – brass, copper, and aluminum 6.4 mm outside diameter
o Foam insulator
o Plastic tubing 6.4 mm inside diameter
o 6:1 ratio pinion for rotary motion sensor
 Meter stick
 2 Tube clamps
 Water basin

Software List
 Data Studio™
 Thermal Expansion Setup File
1. Attach the Rotary Motion Sensor (RMS)
to the large end block on the apparatus.
Use the black thumb screws to attach
the RMS to the holes in the larger hole
of the black end blocks. Place the
pinion onto the shaft of the Rotary
Motion Sensor and rotate clockwise to
tighten

2. Align and anchor the

brass/copper/aluminum rod in the
expansion base. The stainless steel ring
on the rod fits into the groove on the
labeled mounting block, and the metal
rod lies over and presses against the pin
on the Rotary Motion Sensor. Hook the
spring clip (on the support rod) over the
top metal rod and to the left side of the
grip ring. This anchors the rod and
establishes the zero position.

3. Attach the Thermistor lug beneath the

spring clamp on the metal rod. With
one hand, place the thermistor lug over
the top of the metal rod, such that the
concave side fits snugly over the rod.
Align the lug with the axis of the rod, so
that there is maximum contact between
the lug and the rod. With your other
hand, press the ends of the spring
clamp together. Slide the lug
underneath the capture spring to attach
the thermistor lug beneath the clamp.

4. Install the sensors. Insert the DIN

connector of the Thermistor sensor into
an analog channel in the Science
Workshop™ 750 Interface. Insert the
banana plugs for the Rotary Motion
Sensor into the digital channels 1 and 2
(yellow= 1, black = 2) on the Science
Workshop™ 750 Interface.
 5. Attach the leads to the apparatus.
Insert the red and black Rotary Motion
banana plugs into the jacks on the end-
block with the Thermistor label.

Software Setup
Open the Thermal Expansion Setup File. Once opened, the file will display the Rotary Motion Icon and
the Thermistor Icon.

The following describe the setup information contained in the setup file

Sample Rate: The default sample rate for the rotary motion sensor is 5 Hz

Measurement Units: The setup file will yield temperature readings measured in degrees Celsius.

Equations that have been defined: You can view the pre-defined equations for temperature,
position, etc., by clicking on the Calculator icon in the Data List. There you will find equations
defined for:

Position = x*radius (mm), where the position is the linear position of the rod, x is the angular
position of the rotary motion sensor, and the rotary pin has a radius of 1.327 mm. Note: the
position is calculated from the rotational change of the Rotary Motion Sensor pin. As the rod
expands it pushes against the pin and causes the pin to rotate. The linear motion is computed
knowing the rotational motion and the radius of the pin.

The apparatus used in this experiment is shown in Figure 1. A metal rod is placed in a steam jacket
and held fixed in place at one end; a rotary motion pinion is used to measure changes in the length
of the rod at the opposite end of the rod. The steam for heating the rod is supplied by a boiler that
is hooked with a tube to the steam jacket inlet. A can (or beaker) is positioned at the outlet of the
steam jacket to collect the condensed steam (water). The temperature of the rod is measured
using a thermocouple placed in contact with the rod.
 1. Using a meter stick, measure L1, the length of
the rod at room temperature. Measure from
the center of the stainless steel ring (in the
groove of the small end block), to the center
of the rotary pin at the other end (see Figure
1). Record your results in Table 1 – make
sure that you record the uncertainty in your
measurement.

2. Insulate the rod and thermistor with a slitted,

tubular foam wrap. Slide the foam wrap
from underneath the rod until the foam
covers the circumference of the rod. The
spring clamp should jut out from the foam
slit (See figure 2).

3. Connect one length of plastic tubing from

one of the ports on top of the Steam
Generator to the metal cup; connect another
piece of plastic tubing from the other port to
one end of the metal rod (the labeled end
block, away from the Rotary Motion Sensor).
Clamp the latter tubing while heating the
water. Change to the other tube when
heating the rod with steam. Plug one end off
with a plastic tube clamp.

4. Once the software has been loaded and the hardware has been assembled you are ready to collect
data.
5. Fill the Steam Generator half to three-quarters full with water. Plug the steam Generator into an
outlet.

6. Turn on the Steam Generator (not too high -- only up to 6 - 7) and wait for it to warm up. When
you first hear a gurgle sound, (but before the steam travels through the clear tubing), click the
START button to begin recording temperature. Steam will begin flowing through the rod shortly
thereafter. As steam begins to flow, watch the temperature rise in a Data Studio™ Graph display
as the rod heats.

7. After a short period the temperature will plateau and stabilize. You can STOP collecting data and
turn off the steam generator at this point.

8. Using the Statistics feature determine the mean temperature at the beginning of the experiment
and again at the end. Record these values in the table provided – remember to note down the
uncertainty in the initial and final temperatures. Also, record the change in length as measured by
the rotary motion sensor and record this value in the same table. Again, remember to note the
standard error in this value.

9. Import one set of graphs to your template.

10. Repeat the procedure for the two remaining rods

TABLE 1: Data and Calculations

Material L (mm) ΔL (mm) T1(°C) T2(°C) ΔT (°C)

Copper 410

Brass 410

Aluminum 410
 TABLE 2: Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

Material αcoefficient (x 10-6/°C) α(experimental) Percent Difference (%)

Copper 16.8

Brass 18.9

Aluminum 23

Substance Coefficient of linear expansion

Aluminum 23.0 x 10-6/°C
Brass 18.9 x 10-6/°C
Copper 16.8 x 10-6/°C
Iron 11.4 x 10-6/°C
Lead 29.4 x 10-6/°C
Nickel 12.8 x 10-6/°C
Silver 18.8 x 10-6/°C
Steel 13.2 x 10-6/°C
Tin 26.9 x 10-6/°C
Zinc 26.3 x 10-6/°C

Coefficients of linear expansion for various metals.

1. Compute the coefficient of linear expansion based upon your measurements and record the values
obtained in Table 1 of your lab template.

2. Compute the % difference between your measured value and the value contained in the table
above. Record this percentage difference in Table 1 of the template.
3. List the possible sources of systematic and statistical error in your measurement of the
coefficient of linear expansion. Estimate the numerical uncertainty in your measured values
of α using the techniques described in the error analysis section of this manual’s
Introduction.

4. Based upon your observations, formulate an “order of magnitude” rule of thumb for linear
expansion of metals:

“A meter length metal rod lengthens by about ____ mm for a temperature rise of 100 °C.”

5. If the length of each of the bars and the micrometer reading were given in inches rather than in
metric units, what value of α would you have obtained? Explain.

6. How would you use the results of your experiment to estimate the fractional change in volume of
a given metal rod? Clearly state and justify any assumptions necessary for your calculation.

7. One of the assumptions underlying your experimental analysis is that αis independent of
temperature. Describe how you would modify your experiment to test the validity of this
assumption.