10.

3 Thermal Expansion
Temperature & Heat
Internal Energy

 When a substance is heated, its internal energy (sometimes referred to as thermal energy or
heat) increases
 As a substance’s internal energy increases, so will its temperature
The higher the temperature of a substance, the more internal energy it possesses

As the temperature of a substance is increased, the total energy of the molecules (the internal
energy) increases

What is Thermal Expansion?

 When (most) materials are heated, they expand
 This expansion happens because the molecules start to move around (or vibrate) faster, which
causes them to knock into each other and push each other apart

When a solid is heated, the molecules vibrate more, pushing each other apart

Note: When this happens, it is the space taken up by the molecules that increases. The molecules
themselves remain the same size.
Applications and Consequences
 The thermal expansion of materials can have some useful applications, but also has some
undesirable consequences

Applications:

o The expansion of a liquid in a thermometer can be used to measure temperature

o A bimetallic strip, consisting of two metals that expand at different rates, can be made
to bend at a given temperature, forming a temperature-activated switch

The bimetallic strip will bend upwards when heated, closing the circuit
 Consequences:
o The expansion of solid materials can cause them to buckle if they get too hot
o This could include:
 Metal railway tracks
 Road surfaces
 Bridges
o Things that are prone to buckling in this way often have gaps built into them
providing some room for them to expand into

(a) Thermal expansion of solids, liquids and gases

All matter expands when heated because of the increase in the vibration of the
Molecules.
And this causes them to become further apart, taking up a greater volume.
•Expansion is highest in gases, then liquids and lowest in solids
• "Fora fixed mass of gas at constant pressure, the volume is directly proportional to the
Kelvin temperature."

•Everyday applications and consequences:

I) Shrink fitting of axles into gears wheels by cooling the axels in liquid nitrogen.
2) In kitchen tight metal lids can be opened from class jar by immersing the lid in hot
water so that it expands (metal). so that it is easier to remove.
3) Expansion of mercury in thermometer when measuring temperature(liquid).
4) Water level rises behind the dam when the temperature of water increases due the heat
from the sun (liquid).
5)overhead cables have to be slack so that on cold days, when they contract, they don't detach.
6) Gap between the railways tracks due to expansion in summer (meta]). Also gaps have to be
left in bridge to allow for expansion (rollers allow the bridge to expand)
7) Bimetallic strips: Strips of iron and copper or brass. Copper expands more than the Iron. It is
mostly used in fire alarm and thermostat (metal).

-Bimetal thermostat: when the temperature gets too high, the bimetal strips bends, to make
contacts separate until the temperature falls enough, then the metal strip will become straight
again and the contacts touch, to maintain a steady temperature
Steel is used to reinforce concrete
because both of them have same
expansion. If we use any other material
with more expansion than steel to
reinforce concrete, in summer it
expands more and cause crack on it.

What is Thermal Capacity?

 The thermal capacity of an object is the amount of heat energy required to raise the
temperature of that object by 1 °c
 The greater the thermal capacity of an object, the more heat energy it takes to raise its
temperature
 The thermal capacity is also equal to the amount of heat energy an object will give out when
it cools by 1 °c

The energy, E, required to raise the temperature of an object by an amount T is given by the
equation:

Specific heat capacity: is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature
of 1 kilogram of a substance by 1 °C, the unit for specific heat capacity is J/(Kg°C).

Specific heat capacity= energy transferred/ (mass x temperature change)

c = E / (m x ΔT)
Energy transferred = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature change

E or Q= mc ΔT (Energy= power x time)

( E = p x t)

Pt= mcΔT (power = voltage x current)

(p = V x I)

VI t= mcΔT
Unit of power= watt(w) or J/s

Specific heat capacity of water is very high compare to other substances. It is 4200J/(kg °C). It is
useful in cooling car engines.

An experiment can be carried out to find the specific heat capacity of a substance:

You should know the power of the electric heater, the amount of time it is left ·on, the mass of the
material being tested and the temperature change. For a liquid, it can be simply poured in, but for a
solid like Aluminum, holes have to be drilled in for the heater and thermometer.

Measure voltage using a voltmeter & Current using an ammeter , time: stopwatch , mass: balance
temperature: thermometer

Experiment to find Specific heat capacity of liquid.

Take an empty beaker. Record its mass using a balance. Pour water in it. Take the mass again.

Mass of the water = (mass of the beaker + water) -mass of the empty beaker. Record the initial
temperature of the water using (T1). Switch on the immersion heater Insert heater in its holes after it
has reached the maximum power. At the same time Switch on the stopwatch. Keep the thermometer
in water completely for 5 minutes. Note the final temperature T2. Note down the ammeter and
voltmeter reading in the table.

energy supplied by heater = Power of heater x time left on

Energy transferred = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature changes If there is no energy loss,

energy supplied by heater = Energy transferred

Temperature difference, ( T2 - T 1) /°C

Power of heater x time left on = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature change

Voltage x current x time = mass x specific heat capacity x temperature change

To find specific heat capacity using the equation

specific heat capacity= (Voltage x current x time)/ (mass x temperature change.)

The experiment makes no allowance for any thermal energy lost from the beaker, so the value of c is
approximate.
Specific heat capacity of solid

1)Weigh the aluminum block on the balance.

2) Insert the thermometer in the hole and Read the temperature (T1 ).

3) Connect the heater to the supply.

4) Insert heater in its holes after it has reached the maximum power and switch it on for 5 minutes.
Note the maximum temperature rise obtained (T2 ), ammeter reading (I) and voltmeter reading (V).
Precaution: In the case of solid, Place a small drop of oil in the thermometer hole. (This will provide
good thermal contact between the block and the thermometer bulb.) Insert heater in its holes after it
has reached the maximum power.

Lagging: It is the method of covering an object by an insulator to avoid heat loss.

Heat loss can be reduced by using lid also.

Melting and boiling •When melting or boiling a substance, energy is put in. but there is no change in
temperature. The energy absorbed is called the latent heat of fusion/vaporization. A change of state
happens when the particles have enough energy to overcome, the forces between them.

In melting, the solid vibrates so much that the particles can break away from their positions.

When a substance freezes it is losing the same amount of energy as the latent heat of fusion

•Melting point is the temperature at which a substance (in solid state) melts (it is equal to the freezing
point),

•Boiling point is the temperature at which a substance (in liquid state) boils .

•Condensation and solidification: is when a gas turns back into a liquid.

When a gas is cooled, the particles lose energy. They move more and more slowly. When they bump
into each other, they do not have enough energy to bounce away again. They stay close together, and a
liquid forms.

When a liquid cools, the particles slow down even more. Eventually they stop moving except for
vibrations and a solid forms.