TOPIC 6: THERMAL EXPANSION

TEMPERATURE
This is the degree of hotness or coldness of a body. Temperature of a
body is measured by an instrument called a thermometer.
Temperature is a basic physical quantity and is measured in degrees
celcious (0C) or Kelvin (K).
The S.I unit of temperature is Kelvin (K) which is a scalar quantity.

THERMAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION OF SOLIDS,LIQUIDS

AND GASES
All substances increase in size when heated. This increase in size of a substance is called
expansion. On the other hand when a substance is cooled it decreases in size. This decrease
in size is called contraction.

EXPANSION IN SOLIDS
Thermal expansion and contraction in solids can be demonstrated using
a ball and ring experiment. Set the apparatus as shown below.

NOTE: The ball should pass through the ring when both are at roomtemperature
Heat the ball and try to pass it through the ring. Observe whathappens.
Leave it for sometime

OBSERVATION
When both the ball and the ring are at the same room temperature,the ball just passes
through the ring.
When the ball is heated; it does not go through the ring but when leftthere for sometime, it
goes through.
 EXPLANATION
When heated, the ball expands so that it cannot go through the ring.
When left on the ring for some time, the temperature of the balldecreases and it
contracts.
At the same time, the temperature of the ring increases and itexpands so that the
ball goes through.

WHY SOLIDS EXPANDS ON HEATING

The molecules of a solid are closely packed together and are continuously vibrating in their fixed
positions When a solid is heated themolecules gain more kinetic energy and therefore make
larger vibrationsabout their fixed positions. This increase in vibration means that the molecules
collide with each other with larger forces and the moleculesincreases and so the solid expand.

LINEAR EXPANSIVITY
The measure of the tendency of a particular material to expand is called its expansivity e.g.
aluminium expands more than iron thus aluminiumhas higher expansivity than iron.
The knowledge of linear expansivity values is applied in the designingof materials to ensure
that they are able to operate well under varying thermal conditions.

Ordinary glass expands at a higher rate than Pyrex glass. When hot water is poured into a
tumbler made of glass it breaks but does break inPyrex glass.
Concrete and steel are reinforced together because they are of the samelinear expansivity.
Hence cannot crack under varying thermal conditions.

THE BIMETALLIC STRIP

When two metals of different linear expansivity are riveted together theyform a bimetallic strip.
Brass and iron are used to make the bimetallic strip.
On heating the bimetallic strip, brass expands more than iron.

The brass thus becomes longer than the iron for the same temperature range. Hence, the
bimetallic strip bends with brass on the outside of thecurve as shown in (b) below
On cooling, the brass contracts more than iron. It therefore becomesshorter than the iron and
thus ends up being on the inner side of the curve as shown in (c) below
 APPLICATIONS OF EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN SOLIDS

(a) Fixing of Railway Line

 Railway lines are constructed in sections with expansion gaps and the sections held together by fishplates. The bolt holes in the rails
are oval to allow free expansion and contraction of rails as the bolts move freely in the holes.
 A modern method of allowing for expansion and contraction in railways is to plane slant the rails so that they overlap.

(b) STEAM PIPES

Pipes carrying steam from boilers are fitted with loops or expansion
joints to allow pipes to expand and contract easily when steam passes
through and when it cools down.
 (c) TELEPHONE WIRES
They are loosely fixed to allow for contraction and expansion. During
cold weather, they contract and when it is warm they expand.

Telephone or electricity wires appear to be shorter and taut in the

morning.
However in hot afternoons, the wires appear longer and slackened.

(d) STEEL BRIDGES

In bridges made of steel girders, one end is fixed and the other end
placed on rollers to allow for expansion as shown

(e) RIVETS
Thick metal plates, sheets and girders in ships are joined together by
means of rivets.
The rivet is fitted when hot and then hammered flat. On cooling, it
contracts, pulling the two firmly together as shown

(f) The Bimetallic Metal Application

 One of the most common application of a bimetallic strip is in the in the thermostat. A thermostat is a device for maintaining a steady
temperature. The thermostat shown below is used for controlling the temperature of an iron box. A heater circuit is connected
through the electrical
terminals.
  If the iron box becomes too hot the bimetallic strip bends curving away from the lower contact. This breaks the contacts and switches
off the heater. When it cools, the bimetallic strip bends closing up the gap between the contacts and the heater is switched on again.
 If the iron box is required to be very hot (i.e. high temperature), the setting knob is adjusted to push the metal K such that the
contacts are tight together. For low temperature range the adjusting knob is released so that the position K is lowered.
Thermostat is also used to control the temperature of electric cookers, electric heaters for warming rooms, and fridges

EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION IN LIQUIDS

The experimental set up below can be used to demonstrate expansion ofa liquid.

A glass flask is filled with coloured water and heated as shown above

OBSERVATION
Immediately the level of coloured water on the tube drops slightly atfirst and then starts
rising.

EXPLANATION
The initial fall of the level of the water is due to the expansion of the glass flask which gets
heated first. The water starts expanding when heatfinally reaches it and it rises up the tube.
NOTE: The water expands faster than the glass.

QUESTION
Explain why there is a drop in the level of the water initially followed bya steady rise in the level
of water.

Different liquids expand more than others for a given temperatureas shown in the
diagram
In this case, methylated spirit expands most, followed by alcohol andfinally water.

EXPANSION IN GASES
The experiment below can be used to demonstrate expansion of air.

Invert the flask with glass tube dipped into the water as shown.
Warm the flask with your hands for some time and note what happens. Remove your hand and let
the flask cool while the tube is still inserted inwater.
OBSERVATION AND EXPLANATION
When the flask is warmed the level of water column inside the glass tubedrops indicating air
expands. When the flask is warmed further, some bubbles are seen at the end of the glass tube.
On cooling the air inside the flask contracts and water rises up the glasstube.

THE ANOMALOUS (UNUSUAL) EXPANSION OF WATER

Solids, liquids and gases expands when heated and contracts whencooled.

Water however shows an anomalous (unusual) behaviour in that it contracts when it is

temperature is raised from 0oC to about 4oc. When ice is heated from say -20oC, it expands
until its temperature reaches 0oC and it melts with no change in temperature. The melting is
accompanied by contraction. The water formed will still contract as itstemperature rises from
0oC as shown

Above 40C, the water expands with increase in temperature. Since volume of a given
mass of water is minimum at 4oC, water at this temperature has a maximum density,
slightly higher than 1g/cm3.

A sketch of the variation of density with temperature

At the melting point of water (o0C) there is a drastic increase in thevolume, resulting in a
large decrease in density as the ice forms.

EFFECTS OF ANAMALOUS EXPANSION OF WATER

(a) Freezing of lakes and ponds
Water in lakes and ponds usually freezes in winter. Ice is less dense thanwater and floats on
water. Since ice a bad conductor of heat it insulates the water below against heat losses to the
cold air above.
Water remains at 40C being the most dense, remains at the bottom of alake while ice being less
dense floats on layers of water at different temperatures as shown.

Fish and other aquatic animals and plants can therefore survive by livingin the liquid layers
below the ice.

(b) Icebergs
Since the density of ice (0.92g/cm3) is slightly less than that of water itfloats with only a small
portion above the water surface. The rest and bigger portion rests under water. A big mass of
such submerged ice is known as an iceberg.
It poses a great danger to ships as navigators cannot see the submergedpart.

(c) Weathering of Rocks

When water in a crack in a rock freezes, it expands. This expansionbreaks the rock into small
pieces.

(d) Water pipes

Water pipes bursts when the water flowing through the pipes freezes
 MEASURING TEMPERATURE
A thermometer is an instrument used for measuring temperature. There
are various types of thermometers in use. A thermometer is designed
according to the purpose for which it is required. The following are
some of the commonly used thermometers:
a) Liquid-in-glass thermometer.
b) Clinical thermometer
c) Six’s maximum and minimum thermometer

(a) LIQUID-IN-GLASS THERMOMETER

A liquid-in-glass thermometer commonly in use is mercury or colouredalcohol as the
thermometric substance.
The volume of the liquid changes uniformly with the change intemperature

The characteristics of the liquid in the bulb include;

i) Be easily seen (visible).
ii) Expand or contract uniformly and by a large amount over a smallrange of temperature.
iii) Not stick to the inside of the tube. (Should not wet the insideof the tube)
iv)Have a wide range of temperature.
THERMOMETRIC LIQUIDS

Properties of a Good Thermometric Liquid

a) It should not wet glass.

b) It should expand uniformly (regularly).
c) It should be a good conductor of heat.
d) It should be visible.
e) It should have high boiling point.
f) It should have low freezing point.
 Note:Water cannot be used as a thermometer liquid
because:
(a) It wets glass,
(b) It expands irregularly (anomalously),
(c) It is a bad conductor of heat,
(d) It is invisible (colourless),
(e) It has a relatively high freezing point.
The most common in use is mercury and alcohol.
Mercury freezes at -39oC and boils at 357oC while alcohol freezes at -115oC and boils at
78oC. Alcohol is therefore suitable for measuring temperatures below - 39oC.
 PROPERTIES OF THE TWO THERMOMETRICLIQUIDS
ALCOHOL MERCURY
-Low boiling point, 78OC - High boiling point, 357OC
-Low melting point, -115OC - Relatively higher meltingpoint, -39OC
-Poor thermal conductor - Good thermalconductor
-Expansion slightly irregular - Expandsregularly
-Wets glass - Does not wet glass
-Coloured to make it visible - Opaque and silvery
.

TEMPERATURE SCALE
The scale of a thermometer is obtained by selecting two temperatures called fixed points; the
lower fixed point and the upper fixed point. Thelower fixed point is the temperature of pure
melting ice. It is taken to be00C. The upper fixed point is the temperature of steam above pure
boiling water at normal atmospheric pressure. It is taken to be 1000C.

The temperature of steam is used since impurities do not affect its temperature but will raise the
boiling point of water. The temperature of boiling water itself is not used because any impurities
in water wouldraise its boiling point. The temperature of steam is not affected by impurities in
water.
The range between these two points is then divided into equal divisions.Each division is called
degree.

FEATURES OF A COMMON THERMOMETER

Features of a Liquid –In – Glass Thermometer

(a)
A Bulb
 Contains the thermometric liquid. It is thin walled to increase sensitivity of the thermometer (i.e. allow quick transfer of heat).
(b) Capillary Bore
 It allows the liquid in the bulb to rise and fall when temperature changes.
 It has a small diameter to increase its accuracy so that a small change in temperature can easily be measured.
(c) Glass Stem
 It is made up of thick glass to strengthen the thermometer and therefore protect the liquid inside.
 Thick glass also acts as a magnifying glass to magnify the liquid thread.

CELCIOUS AND KELVIN SCALE
They are the commonly used temperature scale. The celcious scale hasthe fixed points at 0oC
and 100oC. In Kelvin scale, the temperature of pure melting ice is 273K while that of pure
boiling water at normal atmospheric pressure is 373K.
The lowest temperature in the Kelvin scale (0K) is referred as absolutezero.
This is the temperature at which the energy of the particles in material iszero.
To change oC to Kelvin

T = (θ – 273) K where ѳ is the temperature in oC

 EXAMPLE 1
Convert 25oC in KelvinSOLN
T = (25 + 273)
= 298 K

To change Kelvin to oC

Θ = (T- 273) 0C where T is the temperature in Kelvin

EXAMPLE 2
Convert 1 K
SOLN
Ѳ = 1-273
= -272oC

ASSIGNMENT
2. Convert the following into Kelvin:

a) 350C b) -1110C c) -273 0C

3. Convert the following into 0C:

a) 123 K b) 323 K
NOTE: Temperature in Kelvin scale cannot have a negative value because the absolute zero,
(0K), is the lowest temperature attainable.

(b) CLINICAL THERMOMETER

A clinical thermometer is an instrument used to measure the temperatureof a human body.
It uses mercury as its thermometric substance and has a narrowconstriction in the tube just above
the bulb.
The diagram below shows the main features of a clinical thermometer.
The constriction prevents the mercury level from falling down when itcontacts with the human
body.
The clinical thermometer has a short scale of temperature from 35oC to 43oC spread over its
entire level. This is because the human body temperature falls slightly above or below 37oC
which is the temperatureof a normal and healthy person. Methylated spirit is used to sterilize the
clinical thermometer.

Boiling water is not used because its temperature is quite far away from the maximum
temperature of the clinical thermometer. This can destroy the thermometer. The thermometer
can be reset by a simple flick.

(c)SIX’S MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM

THERMOMETER

This thermometer is used to record the maximum and minimum temperature of a place
during a day. The thermometer consists of a U-tube connected to two bulbs. The U-tube
contains mercury. The two bulbs contain alcohol.
The figure below shows the main features of a six’s maximum andminimum thermometer.
 Working of the Thermometer
When temperature raises alcohol occupying volume of bulb
A expand and forces mercury in the U-tube to rise on the
right hand side.
The mercury in turn pushes the steel index A upwards. The
maximum temperature can be noted from the lower end of the
steel index A.

On the other hand when the temperature falls, alcohol in the

bulb A contracts and the mercury is pulled back rising u the left
hand side of theU-tube. The index B is then pushed up. During
contraction of the alcohol, index A is left behind (in the alcohol)
by the falling mercury.
The minimum temperature is then read from the lower end of index B.

NOTE: To reset the thermometer, a magnet is used to return

the steelindices to the mercury surfaces.

(d) THE BIMETALLIC THERMOMETER

It is made up of a coiled bimetallic strip whose one end is fixed
and theother end connected to a pointer. Commonly used
metals are brass andinvar. When the temperature rises brass
expands more than invar. The strip thus curls forcing the
pointer to move over a calibrated scale.