Experiment No.

1: Linear Expansion
Trexia D. Capapas
tdcapapas@mymail.mapua.edu.ph

Abstract. The study was all about linear expansion which is the expansion in length of solid bodies which
was caused by high temperature. The purpose of the study was to determine and compare the coefficient
of linear expansion of the aluminum and copper tube and to determine the factors affecting the change in
length in the thermal expansion. The study was carried out using a steam generator which was connected
to the end of the tube and heated up. The change in length, change in temperature, and resistance of the
thermistor was determined in the study to calculate the value of the coefficient of linear expansion of the
two metal rods. Based on the data gathered, the temperature of the environment makes difference on the
computed value to the actual value of the coefficient of linear expansion. Due to the cool temperature of
the environment, we did not able to reached the boiling point which resulted to the high value of
percentage error of the coefficient of linear expansion. In addition, it was observed that the coefficient of
linear expansion of the aluminum tube was greater than of the copper tube.

Keywords: linear expansion, thermal expansion, coefficient of linear expansion

Introduction solid will change as a result of an alteration in

Most materials expand when their temperature
increases which refers to thermal expansion.
Each atom vibrates about its equilibrium position.
When the temperature increases, the energy and
amplitude of the vibration also increase. As a
result, when the amplitude of the vibration
increases, the average distance between atoms
also increases. The change in dimension could be
one dimensional called the linear expansion, it
may be two which is area expansion, or three
dimensional which known as volume expansion.
The study aimed to observe and determine the
relevant concepts of linear expansion since
dealing with the one dimensional is easier than
two or three dimensional. Through this study, we
able to differentiate and learned that every metal
has its own value of coefficient of linear
expansion. Determination of coefficient of linear
expansion of aluminum and copper tube were
also determined in this study.
temperature For any given substance, the
coefficient of linear expansion is typically a
number expressed in terms of 10−5/°C. In other
words, the value of a particular solid's linear
expansion coefficient is multiplied by 0.00001 per
°C. (The °C in the denominator, shown in the
equation below, simply "drops out" when the
coefficient of linear expansion is multiplied by the
change in temperature.)
Experimentally, if the change in temperature is
less than 100 , the change in length was
found to be proportional to the change in
temperature and the initila length of the rod
is constant (different for different materials)
known as the coefficient of linear expansion. It is
denoted by the Greek letter α and the algebraic
definition is as follows,
(eq. 1)

The linear coefficient of thermal expansion of the where can be expressed as,
material is the equation used in the analysis of
the results in the experiment. A coefficient is a (eq. 2)
number that serves as a measure for some
characteristic or property. It may also be a factor
and combining all the equations will give the
against which other values are multiplied to
equation of the final length of the body which is
provide a desired result. For any type of material,
it is possible to calculate the degree to which that
(eq. 3)
material will expand or contract when exposed to
changes in temperature. This is known, in
general terms, as its coefficient of expansion, The temperature of the environment during the
though, in fact, there are two varieties of experimentation would affect the value of the
expansion coefficient. computed coefficient of linear expansion. A cool
environment would lead to the tube not to reach
The coefficient of linear expansion is a constant te boiling point which is 100 that cause not to
that governs the degree to which the length of a reach the actual value of coefficient of linear
expansion. To have an accurate value of
coefficient of linear expansion, an average
temperarure must be the temperature of the
environment.

Materials and Methods

In determining the coefficient of the linear
expansion of the aluminum and copper tube, the
following materials were used (see figure 1):
aluminum and copper tube which were the
material that experimented and both measured
705 mm, digital multi tester to measure the
resistance of thermistor, expansion base with
built-in gauge and thermistor, and steam
generator to boil water to create steam inside of
the tube.
Fig2. The banana plug connector was connected
to the leads of ohmmeter.

After that, we attached the thermistor lug in the

middle of tube and locked it by the thumb screw.
We assured that the lug was aligned with the axis
of the tube so that there is maximum contact
between the lug and the tube.

We inserted the leads of the ohmmeter into the

banana plug connector of the tube where we
determine the resistance of the thermistor at
room temperature and the initial temperature of
the tube and recorded it.

We turned the outer casing of the dial gauge to

Fig1.The materials used during he experiment.
We performed the experiment on an air cooled
classroom. In the first part of the experiment, we
measured the initial length of the tube based on
the inner edge of the tube to the inner edge of
the angle bracket.
align the zero point on the scale with the
indicator needle. We set-up the steam generator
by putting the rubber tube on the other end of
the tube farthest from the dial gauge and to the
steam generator then set the steam generator to
on.

Next, we mounted the tube in the expansion base

then we make sure that the pin on the tube fits
into the slot of the slotted mounting block and
the bracket presses against the spring arm of the
dial gauge.

Fig3. The steam generator was connected on the

tube user rubber tube.
A rag was used to catch the draining water from Table 1. DATA GATHERED
the tube. As the steam begins to flow, we Trial/ Type of Tube Aluminum Copper
observed the movement of the dial gauge and Initial Resistance of 102,300Ω 99,100Ω
noticed that the movement of the hand of it Thermistor at Room
moved counter clockwise. When the thermistor Temperature
resistance stabilizes, we record the resistance. Change in Length 1.235 mm 0.88 mm
Also, we record the expansion of the tube length Change in Temperature 48 ᵒC 54 ᵒC
(ΔL) as indicated by the displacement of the of the Tube
indicator on the dial gauge. Resistance of Thermistor 14,500Ω 11,100Ω
at Final Temperature
After getting the necessary data from the Experimental Coefficient 3.64953 2.31153
experiment, we calculated the experimental of Linear Expansion E-05 /Cᵒ E-05 /Cᵒ
coefficient of linear expansion using equation 1 in Actual Coefficient of 0.000023 0.000016
the introduction and the actual value from the Linear Expansion 8 /Cᵒ 8 /Cᵒ
table provided in the manual of the laboratory. Percentage Error 53.34 % 37.59 %
Lastly, we calculated the percentage of error of
the tube which was used to compare the actual Discussion
value to the computed value of the coefficient of The purpose of the study was to determine and
linear expansion of the tube. Then repeated the compare the coefficient of linear expansion of the
same procedure on the other tube. aluminum and copper tube and to determine the
factors affecting the change in length in the
Results thermal expansion. When the temperature of the
Some problems were encountered throughout the metals increases, an increase in length will
experimentation like the setting of the occurred based on the principle of linear
experiment and the process of recording and expansion. The increase in length was very
gathering the data. The setting of the experiment minimal that sometimes it can’t be observed by
had a major effect on the values gathered in the the eyes. This increase is due to the fact that
experiment. Due to the cool temperature of the when the temperature is increased, the average
environment, the apparatus did not reach its distance between atoms increases.
boiling point that led to the high percentage error
between the computed and actual value of the In the experiment, the table 1 shows the data
coefficient of linear expansion. Measuring the gathered from the experiment which shows that
resistances of the tubes was also encountered the coefficient of the linear tube of the aluminum
since the digital multi tester was inconsistent in is greater than of that copper tube and aluminum
the measure it prints on the screen. To work out has a greater value of change in length.
with it, we waited for the digital mulit meter to Considering this relationship, the equation
stop at a certain measurement and record it. In regarding on the linear expansion satisfies and
the latter part of the experimentation, we had a proved that the coefficient of linear expansion
hard time in recording the data in ms excel since has a direct relationship to the chang in length of
the laptop we used did not able to show the the tube.
answer from the function that we assigned. From
it, we decided to borrowed a laptop from another The percentage error of the aluminum and
group to complete the report. Wrong copper tube has a greater value which means
computations and calculations of the coefficient that the computed value of coefficient of linear
of linear expansion had also undergone by our expansion is highly different from the actual
group. The design of the experiment was good in value. It is due because of the environment we
a way that it helped us to apply the concepts we took place while performing the experiment. The
learned. room is an air cooled room, thus, the tube does
not reach the final temperature of 100 which
The table 1 below shows the differences of the affect the resulting experimental coefficient of
properties regarding on the linear expansion of linear expansion.
the aluminum and copper tubes. It also shows
the percentage of error of the computed value to Acknowledgments
the actual value of the coefficient of linear First and foremost, I want to express my full
expansion. gratitude to Engr. De Leon, my professor in
physics12 laboratory, for the lessons that he
teached us and for the guidance throughout the
experiment. The Mapua Institute of Technology
who provide equipments in the experiment. The
laboratory assistants who never failed to briefly
discuss the uses of the materials that we used
and precautions to every equipment. My
groupmates for the cooperation and unity
throughout the experiment.

Lastly, my family and the one above all of us, the

omnipresent God, for giving me the strength to
accomplished this laboratory report.

References
[1] Young, H., University Physics with Modern
Physics, 12th Edition, 2008
[2] http://www.answers.com/topic/thermal-
expansion
[3] http://www.cedarville.edu/personal/lee/colleg
ephysics1/phys1010_lab10-linear-coef-
expan.pdf