EXPERIMENT NO.

105 LINEAR EXPANSION

INTRODUCTION

All materials, solid, liquid or gas experience a change in its dimension whenever there is a
change in its temperature. With the exception of water which expands anomalously at a temperature
between 0 and 4oC, materials in general expand when the temperature increases and contract when the
temperature decreases. The change in dimension could be one dimensional called the linear expansion,
it may be two dimensional which is expansion of area, or three dimensional which known as volume
expansion.
The change in the body’s dimension is a function of the change in temperature. The amount of
expansion also depends on the material and the original size of the body. Due to differences in their
molecular structures, gases expand more than liquids, and solids change size the least. Special
apparatuses are needed to measure such small change in size in solids.

OBJECTIVES

1. To determine the coefficient of linear expansion of a metal rod.

2. To verify the dependence of a body’s change in length to its change in temperature.

3. To verify the dependence of a body’s change in length to the kind of material.

MATERIALS

1 pc aluminum metal tube

1 pc copper metal tube
1 pc digital multi-tester
1 set expansion base with built-in gauge and thermistor
1 pc foam insulator
1 pc rubber tubing
1 pc steam generator

THEORY

Consider a rod of initial length Lo at initial temperature To in Figure 1. When the temperature of
the rod is increased to its final temperature T, the corresponding final length L is greater than the
initial length. L
o

at To

at T
L

Figure 1

The change in length ΔL is the difference of the final length from its initial length (Equation 1).

ΔL=L−L o (eqn. 1)
 If the change in temperature is less than 100 C 0, the change in length ΔL is directly proportional
L
to both the change in temperature ΔT and the initial length o of the rod. The proportionality constant,
known as the coefficient of linear expansion , depends on the material. These relationships are shown in
Equation 2.

ΔL=L o α Δt (eqn. 2)

From equation 2, one may express the relation to solve and define the coefficient of linear
expansion as

ΔL
α=
Lo Δt

By definition the coefficient of linear expansion is the ratio of the change in length to the original
length for every degree change in temperature.

Combining equations 1 and 2 will give the equation of the final length of the body as shown in
equation 3.

L f =L o + Lo α Δt (eqn. 3)

TABLE 1. Coefficient of Linear Expansion of Solids

α , Coefficient of linear expansion

Material
(Co)-1
Aluminum 23.80 x 10 - 6
Brass 19.30 x 10 – 6
Copper 16.80 x 10 – 6
Glass 8.97 x 10 – 6
Gold 14.30 x 10 – 6
Iron 11.40 x 10 – 6
Lead 29.40 x 10 – 6
Nickel 13.00 x 10 – 6
Platinum 8.99 x 10 – 6
Silver 18.80 x 10 – 6
Steel 12.00 x 10 – 6
Tin 26.92 x 10 – 6
Zinc 26.28 x 10 - 6
PROCEDURE

1. Measure the initial length of the tube from the inner edge of the stainless steel pin to the
inner edge of the angle bracket at the other end of the tube. Record it as the initial length
Lo .
See figure 2.

2. Mount the tube in the expansion base. Make sure that the stainless steel pin on the tube fits
into the slot of the slotted mounting block and the bracket on the tube presses against the
spring arm of the dial gauge.

3. Attach the thermistor lug to the threaded hole in the middle of the tube using a thumb screw.
To ensure maximum contact between the lug and the tube, the lug should be aligned along the
tube.

4. Place the foam insulator over the thermistor lug.

5. Plug the leads of the ohmmeter into the banana plug connector of the thermistor located in the
center of the expansion base. Determine the resistance of the thermistor at room temperature
and record it as Ro. Determine the equivalent temperature and record it as To. This now
serves as the initial temperature of the tube.

6. Set the dial gauge reading to zero.

7. Attach a rubber tube from the steam generator to the to the end of the tube farthest from the
dial gauge. Turn on the steam generator.

Note: Raise one end of the expansion base during the process so that condensed water
shall drain out. Make sure to have a container under the lower end of the tube to catch the
draining water.

8. Observe the dial gauge and determine the increase in length ΔL and simultaneously get the
resistance of the thermistorR. Find the equivalent final temperature of the tube T.

9. Determine the change in temperature by getting the difference in the T and To for each trial.

10. Compute for the experimental coefficient of linear expansion using equation 2.

11. Determine the percentage error. Refer to Table 1 for the actual coefficient linear of expansion
of the material used.

12. Repeat the whole procedure using a different material of the tube.

3
SETUP

Figure 2

4
 EXPERIMENT NO. 105 : LINEAR EXPANSION

Name Group No.

Course/Year Seat No.
Subject/Section Date

Trial 1. Aluminum
Trial / Type of Tube Trial 2. Brass Tube
Tube
L
Initial Length of Tube, o mm mm

Initial Resistance of Thermistor at Room

Ω Ω
Temperature, Ro

Initial Temperature, To 0
C 0
C

Change in Length of Tube, ΔL mm mm

Resistance of Thermistor at Final Temperature, R Ω Ω

Final Temperature of the Tube, T 0

C 0
C

Change in temperature of the Tube, T - To C0 C0

Experimental Coefficient of Linear Expansion,
/ C0 / C0
α exp erimental

Actual Coefficient of Linear Expansion,

α actual / C0 / C0

Percentage Error % %

Approved by:

Instructor Date