Determination of Coefficient of Linear Expansion of A Metal Rod

DETERMINATION OF COEFFICIENT OF LINEAR EXPANSION OF A METAL ROD
Objective. To experimentally determine the value of the coefficient of thermal expansion of a metal.
Pre-lab questions. Intermolecular forces, potential energy of molecules, thermal expansion of solids.
Theory. The overall thermal expansion of an object is a
consequence of the change in the average separation between
its constituent atoms or molecules. To understand this idea,
consider how the atoms in a solid substance behave. These
atoms are located at fixed equilibrium positions; if an atom is
pulled away from its position, a restoring force pulls it back.
We can imagine that the atoms are particles connected by
springs to their neighbouring atoms (See Fig. 1) If an atom is
pulled away from its equilibrium position, the distortion of the
springs provides a restoring force. At ordinary temperatures,
the atoms vibrate around their equilibrium positions with an
amplitude (maximum distance from the centre of vibration) of Fig. 1. A model of a portion of a solid.
about 10-11 m, with an average spacing between the atoms of The atoms (spheres) are imagined as
about 10-10 m. As the temperature of the solid increases, the being attached to each other by
atoms vibrate with greater amplitudes and the average springs, which represent the elastic
separation between them increases. Consequently, the solid as nature of the interatomic forces. A
a whole expands. If the thermal expansion of an object is solid consists of trillions of segments
like this, with springs connecting all of
sufficiently small compared with the object’s initial
them.
dimensions, then the change in any dimension is, to a good
approximation, proportional to the first power of the
temperature change.
Suppose an object has an initial length L0 along some direction at some temperature T0. Then the
length increases by ΔL for a change in temperature ΔT. So for small changes in temperature,
L  L0 T or L  L0  L0 (T  T0 ) , (1)
where L is the object’s final length, T is its final temperature, and the proportionality constant a is
called the coefficient of linear expansion for a given material and has units of K-1.
In this work, the finite thermal expansion L  L1  L0 which corresponds to finite temperature
interval t1 – t0, will be calculated, therefore the average linear coefficient is expressed as following:
L L L
v    1 0  . (2)
L0 t1  t0  L0 t1  t0 
It is equal to relative expansion ( L L0 ) when the temperature is
raised by 1 degree. In this case using only two measures, the
calculated average linear coefficient  v is not reliable. The more
reliable calculations can be made using experimental dependence of
thermal expansion versus temperature change L  f t  t0  (see Fig. Fig. 2. Thermal expansion
2). For the calculations the most linear part of the experimental line versus temperature change
should be chosen. The relative L  f t  t0 
limiting error of the coefficient of linear expansion is expressed as follows

 L0 L t1  t0 
   (3)
v L0 L1 t1  t0
Equipment. The equipment (Fig. 3) consists of: 1 – temperature indicator; 2 – temperature control
knob; 3 – temperature probe; 4 – heated metal sample; 5 – expansion gauge
Fig. 3. Coefficient of linear expansion apparatus
Procedure:
1. Measure the length of the sample L0 and the initial temperature t0.
2. Set zero on the expansion gauge.
3. Change the temperature in 5 degree intervals (35 °C, 40 °C, 45 °C, 50 °C, 55 °C, 60 °C, 65 °C
and 70 °C) all over the temperature range up to 70 °C. After the new temperature value becomes
stable - write down the value indicated by the expansion gauge n (n = ΔL) . To change the
temperature, knob 2 is pressed in an the temperature value is entered by turning it. To set the new
temperature value, press the knob twice.
L0, mm t0, °C t, °C t – t0, °C ΔL, mm
362 ± 1
4. After completing the measurements, set the thermostat control knob to zero and turn off the
heating.
5. Plot the graph L  f t  t0  .
6. Choose the value t  t0  and corresponding value L from the linear part of the graph and
calculate the average linear coefficient of thermal expansion  v using the equation (2).

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limiting error of the coefficient of linear expansion is expressed as follows

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