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Coefficient of Linear Expansion Lab Report

The document describes an experiment conducted to determine the coefficients of linear expansion of brass and steel. The experiment involved heating metal rods submerged in a steam generator while measuring the change in length. Trials for brass yielded coefficients of 4.92°C and 5.19°C, while trials for steel yielded 3.09°C and 3.00°C. Sources of error included inaccurate temperature readings due to an air conditioner and pre-existing expansion of reused materials. The document also provides an example calculation for thermal expansion of a steel bridge.

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90 views6 pages

Coefficient of Linear Expansion Lab Report

The document describes an experiment conducted to determine the coefficients of linear expansion of brass and steel. The experiment involved heating metal rods submerged in a steam generator while measuring the change in length. Trials for brass yielded coefficients of 4.92°C and 5.19°C, while trials for steel yielded 3.09°C and 3.00°C. Sources of error included inaccurate temperature readings due to an air conditioner and pre-existing expansion of reused materials. The document also provides an example calculation for thermal expansion of a steel bridge.

Uploaded by

KimCanillasVincere
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

FEU INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY

Physics 2 - LABORATORY
100
IPHY2 – M085
SCORE
Experiment #1

Coefficient of Linear Expansion

Group No. 4 Criteria

Leader: Manahan, Melvin John Punctuality: 5x____

Recorder: Garcia, Wences Nicko Completeness: 5x____

Materials: Ga, Ian Accuracy: 4x____

Disicipline: Delos Reyes, Kyle Aldrin Format: 3x____

Cleaner: Llanda, Carl Joshua Neatness: 3x____

Date Performed: 08/29/2018 Date Submitted: 09/5/2018

Dr. E.G. Tripoli

Lab Professor
I. Objectives

1. To measure the linear thermal expansion of some metal alloys.

2, To determine the linear expansion coefficients of some metal alloys.

II. Experiment Set-Up

Fig 1. Thermal Expansion Fig 2. Steam Generator Fig 3. Set-Up

Materials

1 Longtidunal expansion apparatus

1 Dial Gauge, 10 mm.

1 Holder for Dial Gauge

1 Thermometer

1 Steam Generator

2 Silicon Tubing

1 Petri Dish

1 Meter stick
III. Date and Results

A. BRASS

Table 1 : Trial 1
Description Initial Reading Final Reading Differences in
Reading
Length of the Metal 254mm 308mm 55mm
Rod, mm
Temp of the Metal 23’ 67’ 44’
Rod, ‘C
Coefficient of Linear 4.92 per ‘C
Expansion

Table 2 : Trial 2
Decription Initial Reading Final Reading Differences in
Reading
Length of the Metal 254mm 309mm 58mm
Rod, mm
Temp of the Metal 23’ 67’ 44’
Rod, ‘C
Coefficient of Linear 5.19 per ‘C
Expansion
B. STEEL

Table 3: Trial 1
Description Initial Reading Final Reading Differences in
Reading
Length of Metal 255m 292mm 37mm
Rod, mmm
Temp of Metal Rod, 24’ 71’ 47’
‘C
Coefficient of Linear 3.09 per ‘C
Expansion

Table 4: Trial 2
Description Initial Reading Final Reading Differences in
Reading
Length of Metal 255m 292mm 36mm
Rod, mmm
Temp of Metal Rod, 24’ 71’ 47’
‘C
Coefficient of Linear 3.00 per ‘C
Expansion

C. Comparison of Results

Table 5
Coefficient of Linear BRASS STEEL
Expansion
Average Value 7.92 6.09
Percentage difference 3.9% 5.1%
between the average value
and the theoretical value
IV. Analysis and Discussion

1. From the comparison of the results, what can you say about the difference of values
you have acquired for the coefficients of linear expansion after performing two trials?

- The coefficient of linear expansion shows how the object expands as its
temperature gets higher. After we conducted two trials on the brass rod, we noticed that
the readings of the final temperature for trial two is relatively lower compared to the
readings of trials one. Maybe it’s because of the position of our group wherein we are in
front of the air conditioner which made the readings of the thermometer inaccurate.

2. Based on the result of the percentage error obtained, speculate on the possible
sources of error in your experiment?

- The possible sources of error in our experiment is that the place where we
conducted our experiment is in front of the air conditioner, this made the readings of the
thermometer somewhat wrong and inaccurate. Another possible source would be the
materials used in the experiment, mainly the rods to somehow expand due to the
continuous usage of it in the past years.

3. If a steel bridge has a length of 4,200 feet and temperature changes from 0’C to
+40’C, what will be its total expansion if the coefficient of linear expansion is 1.5 x 10^-5
per ‘C? Show you computation in the space provided.

Expansion = length x coefficient of linear expansion x change in temperature

= 4200 x 1.5x10^(-5) x (40-0) = 2.52 feet

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