MATE 210: Thermal Properties Practice Problems

Solutions
Goals: Define important thermal properties. Relate thermal properties to
materials’ structure and processing.

Question 1:

In your own words, write definitions for each of the following terms:

a) Heat capacity

b) Coefficient of thermal expansion

c) Thermal conductivity

d) Thermal shock resistance

Question 2:

a) Rank polymers, ceramics, and metals from lowest to highest heat capacity.
Explain your reasoning using the material’s structure (bonding, crystal structure,
and/or microstructure)

b) Rank polymers, ceramics, and metals from lowest to highest coefficient of

thermal expansion. Explain your reasoning using the material’s structure
(bonding, crystal structure, and/or microstructure)

c) Rank polymers, ceramics, and metals from lowest to highest thermal

conductivity. Explain your reasoning using the material’s structure (bonding,
crystal structure, and/or microstructure)

d) Rank polymers, ceramics, and metals from lowest to highest thermal shock
resistance. Explain your reasoning using the material’s structure (bonding, crystal
structure, and/or microstructure)
Question 3:

A free-standing polyethylene bar that is 3 m long is heated from 25oC to 85oC. What is
its change in length, rounded to the nearest mm? Polyethylene’s coefficient of thermal
expansion is 200*10-6 (m/m*K) where m refers to meters and K refers to Kelvin.

A. 1 mm longer
B. 4 mm longer
C. 6 mm longer
D. 36 mm longer
E. 63 mm longer

Question 4:

You are designing a concrete structure to be reinforced with stainless steel rebar rather
than traditional steel rebar. One of your colleagues is concerned that combining the
stainless-steel rebar with the concrete will lead to mechanical failure, especially during
times of extreme temperature swings. They argue you should stick with the traditional
steel rebar. Do you agree with their concerns? Why or why not?

Question 5:

Which of the following explains why most electric vehicles use liquid cooling vs air
cooling? Select all that apply.

a) Liquids have greater heat capacity than air.

b) Liquids have a greater thermal conductivity than air.
c) Liquid-based cooling systems are less expensive than air-based cooling
systems.
d) Liquids are worse to use because of the greater risk of fire.

Question 6:

a) You are tasked with selecting a material for a high-performance cooking pan.
Which of the material classes (metals, polymers, ceramics) would you select for
this application?

b) Which of the following thermal properties would be important for the application
in part a? Select one.
• Heat capacity
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Thermal conductivity
• Thermal shock resistance

c) Justify your choices in parts a and b.

Question 7:

Which of the following describes why ceramics have a lower thermal conductivity value
compared to metals? Select all that apply.

a) Compared to metals, ceramics have a higher lattice contribution but a smaller

electron contribution to thermal conductivity.
b) Compared to metals, ceramics have more complicated structures.
c) Compared to metals, ceramics will absorb more heat.
d) Compared to metals, ceramics are more porous.
e) Ceramics actually have a higher thermal conductivity compared to metals
because of their bond strength.

Question 8:

a) You are tasked with selecting a material for the inner lining of a winter coat.
Which of the material classes (metals, polymers, ceramics) would you select for
this application?

b) Which of the following thermal properties would be important for the application
in part a? Select one.
• Heat capacity
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Thermal conductivity
• Thermal shock resistance

c) Justify your choices in parts a and b.

Question 9:

Calculate the thermal shock resistance of steel.

σ𝑓 ∗ 𝑘 𝑊 1
𝑇𝑆𝑅 = , σ𝑓 = 685 𝑀𝑃𝑎 , 𝑘 = 49.8 , 𝐸 = 200 𝐺𝑃𝑎 , α = 1.1 ∗ 10−5
𝐸∗α 𝑚∗𝐾 𝐾
𝑁𝑜𝑡𝑒: 1 𝐺𝑃𝑎 = 1000 𝑀𝑃𝑎

Question 10:

a) You are tasked with selecting a material for the heat shield of a spacecraft.
Which of the material classes (metals, polymers, ceramics) would you select for
this application?
b) Which of the following thermal properties would be important for the application
in part a? Select one.
• Heat capacity
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Thermal conductivity
• Thermal shock resistance

c) Justify your choices in parts a and b.