THERMAL EXPANSION

Most substances – solid, liquid and gases expand when they are
heated. When a substance is heated it makes its molecules vibrate
more vigorously. As the vibration become larger, the molecules are
pushed further apart and the substance expands in all directions.
The reverse happens when the substance is cooled. The vibration
become smaller and the substance contracts as its molecules are
pulled closer together by force of attraction between them.
Gases expands more liquid and liquid expands more than solid.

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The chart below shows how much one meter length of
different materials expands when their temperature goes up
by 100°C. For greater lengths and higher temperature
increases, the expansion is more.

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USES OF THERMAL EXPANSION
• Liquid - in – glass thermometer make use of the expansion of
liquid.
• Metal rods can be fitted into metal wheels, by heating wheel. As
the wheel cools, it contracts and pulls the rod and wheel tightly
together.
 

• A metal lid or cap may stick on a glass jar or a bottle. Heating the
lid (for example, by running hot water over it) cause it to expand
(the glass expand much less), so the lid loosens and can be
removed.
 

• The bimetallic strips used in fire alarms, thermostat and

bimetallic thermometers.
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Fire alarm
When the bimetallic strip in the fire alarm heated up it expands and
torches with contact, so current flows through the circuit. As a
result bell rings.

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Bimetal Thermostat
The bimetal thermostat are devices which control temperature.
They are fitted to immersion heaters, ovens, and refrigerators and to
some room heaters. There are several different designs bimetal type
is very common.
The diagram below shows thermostat that controls an electric
heater. As the rooms warms up, the bimetal strip expands (brass
expand more than invar), so two electrical contact separate. This
switches of the heater. And when room cools down the bimetal
contract and aging torches the contact, so circuit completes and
switch on the heater. Temperature can adjust by turning control
knob.

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The bimetal flashing indicator
The indictor bulbs on a car flash on and off because of movements
made by tiny bimetal strip. The basic arrangement is shown below.
When we turn on the indicator switch, a small electric current passes
through the bulb and through the heating coil wound around the
bimetal strip. The current is too small to light up the bulb, but it does
heat up the bimetal strip. This bend up wards as a result.
When the contact touch, the current stops flowing through the heating
coil. It takes the easier route straight along the bimetal strip. The
bimetal strip now connects bulb directly to the battery, so bulb lights
up at full brightness.
with no current passing through heating coil, the bimetal strip cools
and straightens and contact separate. The current once more has to
pass through the heating coil, so the bulb dims as a result. In this way
bulb continues on and off.

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CONSEQUENCES OF THERMAL EXPANSION
The expansion of materials can cause problems. For example metal
bridges and railway lines expand on hot days, and there is a danger
that they might buckle. To avoid this, bridges in sections, with
expansion joints between the sections as shown below. On hot day
bridge expands and section between gap decrease.
Railway lines are now usually made from metallic alloy that
expands very little .

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Thermal expansion of gases
Gases expand when they are heated, just like solids and
liquids. We can understand this by using the kinetic model of
matter. The diagram below shows some gas in a cylinder
fitted with a piston. At first the gas is cold and its particles
press weakly on the piston. When the gas is heated, its
particles moves faster. Now they push greater force on the
piston and push it upwards. The gas has expanded.

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The upward force of the gas is balanced by downward force
of the piston. So in this situation, the pressure of the gas is
remained constant as it has expanded.
So for a fixed mass of a gas at constant pressure, the
volume gas is directly proportional to the increasing
temperature of the gas. This is called Charles’s law.
If the piston did not move, the volume of the gas remains
constant when it was heated but its pressure would
increase.

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