EXPERIMENT 301: LINEAR EXPANSION

DIGNOS, Jason Benjamin

Department of Physics, College of Science, Mapua Institute of Technology- Intramuros
Physics 12L, C1, Group 4
[email protected], [email protected]

Keywords:
Thermal Expansion
Thermal Coefficient
Temperature
Area Expansion
Volume Expansion

Abstract
Thermal coefficient is basically how strong the material will respond at a given temperature
change. Three types of thermal expansion can occur namely linear, area and volume corresponding
to one, two and three-dimensional change respectively. Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter
to change in volume in response to a change in temperature. Linear expansion, the phenomenon
studied in this experiment, is one of the three types of thermal expansion brought about by
temperature change. In this experiment, in order to accurately determine the change in temperature
of the materials used, the resistance-temperature relationship of the materials was utilized. The two
main objectives of the experiment were to determine the coefficient of linear expansion of
aluminum and copper rods and to determine and examine the factors affecting the thermal
expansion of objects. The results of the experiment gave the values for the coefficient of linear
expansion of aluminum and copper as 3.4810-6 / and 2.83x10-6/ , respectively. However,
when we compared the experimental coefficient of linear expansion of the aluminum and copper
with their actual values there were big percentage errors of 18.77% and 25.51%. This might be due
to some factors regarding the apparatus, the environment and the gathering of data itself. It was also
found that aside from the coefficient of linear expansion of a material, the change in length is also
dependent on the change in temperature.

Introduction

All materials change their size when subjected to a temperature change as long as the
pressure is held constant. In the special case of solid materials, the pressure does not appreciably
affect the size of an object, and so for solids, it usually not necessary to specify that the pressure be
held constant. The coefficient of thermal expansion describes how the size of an object changes
with a change in temperature. Specifically, it measures the fractional change in volume per degree
change in temperature at a constant pressure.
 An example of this phenomenon are electrical power lines on a hot summer day. They will
sag more than on a cold winter day. If you look at many bridges, they have interlocking metal
fingers forming an expansion joint, where the bridge joins the road. This is to accommodate thermal
expansion. (One notable exception to this general rule is water. It usually undergoes a
normal thermal expansion, but as it approaches its freezing point, it will expand instead of shrink.)
As an object expands or contracts with a temperature change, its change in length depends on three
quantities: the original length, the temperature change, and the thermal properties of the material
composing the object.

Linear expansion, the phenomenon

studied in this experiment, is one of the three
types of thermal expansion brought about by
temperature change. The other types are area
and volume change. This is affected by the
type of material, initial or original length of
material and the change in temperature.
From figure (1), notice that the heat applied
caused the tube to elongate.

Figure 1: Linear Thermal Expansion

All substances expand or contract when their temperature changes, and the expansion or
contraction always occurs in all directions. Substances that expand at the same rate in any direction
are called isotropic. Unlike gases or liquids, solid materials tend to keep their shape. For solids, one
might only be concerned with the change along a length, or over some area. Expansion coefficients
are specially defined for these cases, and they are known as the linear and area expansion
coefficients. However, they all come from the volume expansion coefficient, which explains how
the substance expands in any direction. Some substances expand when cooled, such as freezing
water, so they have negative thermal expansion coefficients.

So, in this experiment, we need to determine the coefficient of linear expansion of a metal
rod. In this part, we need to test two materials, copper metal tube and aluminum metal tube. We
were also able to determine the factors that might affect the change in length in thermal expansion.

Methodology
In this experiment, the apparatus to be used is shown in Fig. 2. It consists of an aluminum
metal tube, copper metal tube, digital multi-tester, expansion base with built-in gauge and
thermistor, foam insulator, rubber tubing, and steam generator.
Figure 2: Materials used in the experiment.

Preparation of the materials

needed.

Setting up the equipment

Determining the initial length

and the change of
temperature of the system.

Compute for the coefficient of

linear expansion and the
percent error

Repeat steps 3 and 4 for the

second material (copper)

Record the data

 Figure 3: A flow chart to show the process in determining the coefficient of linear expansion.

On this experiment, we will determine the coefficient of linear expansion of a given metal
rod by understanding the concepts of Linear Expansion. To begin with, the metal rod has an initial
length ( Lo ) at an initial temperature (T o) , when there is a change in temperature, increase in
particular, the metal rod increases in length (L) with the increase in temperature (T f ) which
can be observed on the following figure:

Figure 4: The expansion of a rod from Lo to L when the temperature changes from
t o to t

From the figure, the change of length is the difference of the final length ( L) and the initial
length ( Lo ) , thus:

L=LLo (1)

f T o
Similarly, the change in length ( L) is proportional to the change in temperature T =T , the

initial length of the rod (Lo ) and the coefficient of linear expansion ( ) which differs
depending on the material. With this relationship, we end up with the equation:

L= Lo T
(2)

Manipulating the second equation to obtain the formula of the coefficient of linear expansion ( )
, the equation now becomes:
 L
=
L o T
(3)

Combining the second equation with the first equation and applying little algebra, we obtain the
formula of the final length ( L) of a body:

L=Lo ( 1+ T ) (4)

Possible outcome would be that the coefficient of linear expansion would be very small in
value since the change in length will not be visible to the naked eye and the change in length would
depend on the length of the material and the change in temperature as observed on Equation (2).

Going back, Figure 3 shows the step by step procedure on how the experiment was done.
The first step in performing the experiment is to prepare the materials to be used and setting it up.
The aluminum tube and the copper tube were first measured to determine the initial length of both
material. The aluminum tube was the first to be mounted to the expansion base and tested. The
expansion base is a tool for measuring the change in length of both the aluminum and copper rods.
When expanding, the built-in gauge on the expansion base spins and indicate how much the
material expanded. The initial temperature of the material was determined. It was determined using
the built-in thermistor on the expansion base. After dialing the gauge to zero, the rubber tube is
attached from the steam generator to the end of the tube. The increase in length and the resistance
on the thermistor is measured. The resistance was measured using a multi-tester or multi-meter. It is
also known as A VOM or Volt-Ohm meter. It is an electronic measuring device that measures
voltages, current, and resistance. After measuring, the coefficient of linear expansion was computed
by determining the change in temperature and using equation 2. After that, the percentage error was
computed. The process is repeated for the copper tube. After finalizing, the data was recorded.

Results and Discussion

After the initial lengths of the two tubes, aluminum and copper, were measured with the meter stick
to both be 702mm, the experiment was performed first for copper and then for aluminum. The data
collected and the computed results are shown in the following table.

Table 1: Data Sheet

Trial/Type of Tube Trial 1. Aluminum Tube Trial 2. Copper Tube
Initial Length of Tube, L0 703 [mm] 703 [mm]
Initial Resistance of Thermistor at
93 500 97 600
Room Temperature, Rrm
Initial Temperature, t m 26.42 25.53
Change in Length of Tube, L 1.19 [mm] 0.885 [mm]
Resistance of Thermistor at Final
12 927 15 570
Temperature, Rhot
Final Temperature of Tube, t hot 75 70
Change in Temperature of the
48.58 44.47
Tube, ( t hot t rm )
Experimental Coefficient of Linear
3.48 106 / 2.83 106 /
Expansion, experimental
Actual Coefficient of Linear
2.28 106 / 1.68 106 /
Expansion, actual
Percentage of Error 18.77% 25.51%

For computing the initial temperature of aluminum

9510091126 x27
= , x=26.42
9544795100 26x

From the measured data (aluminum):

1.19 mm
= =3.48 x 106 /
( 48.58)(703 mm)

Same computation was done to solve for and initial temperature of copper. The values of
coefficients obtained proved the concept of thermal expansion which relates the change in
temperature and length of the given metals. is considerably small because materials expand in a
minimal length. To check the acceptability of the experiment, the percent error was calculated by
using equation (5).
Experimental value Actual value
| Experimental value+ Actual value x 100 (5)

6 6
3.48 x 10 2.48 x 10
Percent error= x 100 =18.77
3.48 x 106 +2.48 x 106

The resulting experimental coefficient of linear expansion of the aluminum rod,

3.48 106 / , was found to be greater than that of the copper rod, 2.83 106 / which
is consistent with the comparison of the actual coefficients of linear expansion of the two materials:
actual of Aluminum > actual of Copper . However, when comparing the experimental coefficient of linear
expansion of one material, say aluminum, with its actual value, there is a big percentage error of
18.77%. For copper, the percentage error is also big, 25.51%. This might be due to some factors
regarding the apparatus, the environment and the gathering of data itself. First, the reading from the
dial gauge kept changing when the apparatus was raised at one end to allow the water in the rods
that condensed to drip through the other end so as to lessen its possible effect on the temperature of
the rod. Secondly, we were working in an air-conditioned room and this could have caused some
effect on the temperature of the rod. Third, the temperature might not be constant for the entire tube.
Lastly, the measuring of length by a meter stick and the change of length by the dial gauge could
not be said to be 100% accurate and this might have affected the data.

I would also like to answer this question from the laboratory manual to clarify and
further discuss the concept of linear expansion and how a simple misstep would affect the
entire system. The question is Would the result be different if the condensed water was not
drained from the expansion tube?

Yes, the result would be affected if the condensed water was not drained from the
tube. Steam was used by the rod to acquire the amount of heat needed for them to expand.
Since the condensed water inside the rod was not drained therefore, the opposite heat that
both rods needed to expand will not be obtained.

Another question is From the results of the experiment, compute for the coefficient
for the area and volume of the metals. This question was asked to deepen our
understanding of the topic, linear expansion.

AREA: A = 2 AoT

Aluminum:

T= Tf T0 A = L 2
= 75 oC 26.42 oC = (1.19)2
= 48.58 oC = 1.42 mm2

Ao = Lo2 = A /2AoT
= (703)2 = 1.42 / [2(494 209)(48.58)]
= 494 209 mm = 2.94x10-8

Copper:

T= Tf T0 A = L 2
= 70 oC 25.53 oC = (0.885)2
= 44.47 oC = 0.783 mm2

Ao = Lo2 = A /2AoT
= (703)2 = 0.783 / [2(494 209)(44.47)]
= 494 209 mm2 = 1.78x10-8/ Co

VOLUME:

ALUMINUM

T= Tf T0 A = L 3
= 75 oC 26.42 oC = (1.19)3
= 48.58 oC = 1.67 mm3
 Vo = Lo3 = V/VoT
= (703)3 = 1.67/[ 3.47x108*48.58]
= 3.47x108 = 9.89x10-11

Copper
T= Tf T0 A = L 3
= 75 C 26.42 oC
o
= (0.885)3
= 44.47 oC = 0.693 mm3

Vo = Lo3 = V/VoT
= (703)3 = 0.693/[ 3.47x108*44.47]
= 3.47x108 = 4.49x10-11

Conclusion

The objectives of this experiment were to determine the coefficient of the linear expansion of two
metal rods and to determine the factors that could affect said coefficient. The two rods specifically,
the aluminum rod and copper rod, were both examined in this experiment. Each material has an
accepted value for coefficient of linear expansion which we compared to the experimental
coefficients of linear expansion that we were able to calculate from results of our experiment. A
different coefficient of linear expansion means that the change in length of a material will most
definitely vary, depending on the material. The change in length of a material, we found, is also
dependent on the change in temperature. In the table provided we can state that aluminum has a
higher coefficient of linear expansion than copper.

The experiment enabled us to compute for the experimental coefficient of linear expansion
of the two rods and shows how temperature affects the expansion of the objects. Therefore, we can
conclude that the change in the length of an object is directly proportional to the change in
temperature. As temperature of the material increases the expansion of its length also increases.

Recommendation

In the laboratory manual, theres a question that states: In the guide question part of the
handout, a question is asked that says, In the performance of the experiment, cite the possible
sources of errors and its effect in the computed values. What are the recommendations then to
minimize such error? So, I decided to make it as part of the recommendation section of this paper.

In performing the experiment, the results in the coefficient of linear expansion may be
affected by the environment and the inaccurate measurement of the quantities. The environments
temperature is one of the factors being used to determine the coefficient of linear expansion. In the
laboratory room where the experiment has taken place the temperature was affected by the air-
conditioning system. In performing such experiment, it is recommended to choose a controlled
environment to prevent errors in the computed values. Another source of error is the use of
interpolation in relating temperature readings to resistance. Inaccuracy on the results will occur if
the highest expansion and lowest resistance was not read carefully. There other systems that can be
used to read the resistance more accurately.
References
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[3] Thermal Expansion, wikipedia.org, extracted: July 29, 2013
[4] Lab Manual, General Physics 3, Department of Physics, Mapa Institute of Technology

[5] Freedman, R. A., Ford, L., Young, H. D. University Physics with Modern Physics 12th ed.
2007.
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