Thermal Expansion

Hole Size
A rectangular sheet of metal has a circular hole.
What happens to the size of the hole when the metal
is heated?

A) It gets larger.
B) It gets smaller.
C) It stays the same.
Microscopic Spacing
Atoms are in constant
motion.
Vibration increases with
temperature
Spacing increases with
temperature

Change in Volume
The volume of matter
expands when the atomic
spacing increases.
Increase temperature
increase volume.

A volume increase is the
same as a density decrease.
T V V
0

T
V
T + T
V + V
Coefficient of Volume Expansion
For small volume changes
the relationship between
volume and temperature is
linear.

The coefficient of volume
expansion is .

Material Coefficient
Quartz 1 x 10
-6
C
-1

Pyrex glass 9 x 10
-6
C
-1

Glass 27 x 10
-6
C
-1

Steel 35 x 10
-6
C
-1

Aluminum 75 x 10
-6
C
-1

Mercury 180 x 10
-6
C
-1

Water 210 x 10
-6
C
-1

Gasoline 950 x 10
-6
C
-1

Ethyl alcohol 1100 x 10
-6
C
-1

Air (1 atm) 3400 x 10
-6
C
-1

T V V
0

Gas Tank
A 72 L steel gas tank is open
and filled to the top with
gasoline, = 950 x 10
-6
C
-1
,
at 18 C. The car sits in the
sun and reaches a
temperature of 32 C.

How much gasoline
overflows from the tank?
The gasoline expands with
temperature.
Solve for V = V
0
T.
(950 x 10
-6
C
-1
)(72 L)(14 C)
V = 0.95 L

The tank expansion was
small in comparison.
You get more gas if you fill it
when its cool!
Cold Water
Most substances expand
uniformly with temperature.

Water does not follow the
pattern.
Below 4 C water expands
as it cools
Very cold water stays on top
Ice is even less dense
Stretching Solids
T
L
T + T
L + L
Solids can have dimensions
that are quite different.

The long dimension may
matter most.
Focus on one dimension
Other changes are still
present, less magnitude

Linear Expansion
The change in volume
applies to the three
dimensions.

If the change is equal in all
directions is split in thirds.

The coefficient of linear
expansion in solids (a) is
usually one third of .
W H L HW L W LH V
W H L V


0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0
)
3
(
)
3
(
)
3
(
0 0 0
0 0 0
0 0 0
W T H L
W H T L
W H L T V

3 /
0
a
a

L T L
Seasonal Changes
The steel bed of a
suspension bridge is 200 m
long at 20 C.

If the temperature goes from
-30 C to +40 C, what
contraction and expansion is
possible?
Use linear expansion.
Solve for L = aL
0
T.
First in winter,
(12 x 10
-6
C
-1
)(200 m)(-50 C)
L = -0.12 m
Then in summer,
(12 x 10
-6
C
-1
)(200 m)(20 C)
L = 0.048 m

Thermal Stress
A change in length is
associated with a stress.

Temperature change causes
a change in length.

If the stress is due to
temperature, its a thermal
stress.
next
0
L
L
Y
A
F

0
L T L a
T Y
L
YL T
A
F

a
a
0
0