Thermal Expansion

Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in volume in response to

a change in temperature, [1] through heat transfer.

When a substance is heated, its particles begin moving more and thus usually
maintain a greater average separation. Materials which contract with increasing
temperature are unusual; this effect is limited in size, and only occur within limited
temperature ranges (see examples below). The degree of expansion divided by the
change in temperature is called the material's coefficient of thermal expansion and
generally varies with temperature.

*How It Works
Molecular Translational Energy
In scientific terms, heat is internal energy that flows from a system of relatively high
temperature to one at a relatively low temperature. The internal energy itself,
identified as thermal energy, is what people commonly mean when they say "heat."
A form of kinetic energy due to the movement of molecules, thermal energy is
sometimes called molecular translational energy.
Temperature is defined as a measure of the average molecular translational energy
in a system, and the greater the temperature change for most materials, as we shall
see, the greater the amount of thermal expansion. Thus, all these aspects of
"heat"heat itself (in the scientific sense), as well as thermal energy, temperature,
and thermal expansionare ultimately affected by the motion of molecules in
relation to one another.

*Formula
When an object is heated or cooled, its length changes by an amount
proportional to the original length and the change in temperature. Linear thermal
expansion of an object can be expressed as
dl = L0 (t1 - t0)
where

(1)

dl = change in length (m, inches)

L0 = initial length (m, inches)
= linear expansion coefficient (m/moC, in/inoF)
t0 = initial temperature (oC, oF)
t1 = final temperature (oC, oF)

Thermal Expansion
Thermal expansion, the general increase in the volume of a material as
its temperature is increased. It is usually expressed as a fractional change in length
or volume per unit temperature change; a linear expansion coefficient is usually
employed in describing the expansion of a solid, while a volume expansion
coefficient is more useful for a liquid or a gas. If a crystalline solid is isometric (has
the same structural configuration throughout), the expansion will be uniform in all
dimensions of the crystal. If it is not isometric, there may be different expansion

coefficients for different crystallographic directions, and the crystal will change
shape as the temperature changes.

In a solid or liquid, there is a dynamic balance between the cohesive forces

holding the atoms or molecules together and the conditions created by
temperature; higher temperatures imply greater distance between atoms. Different
materials have different bonding forces and therefore different expansion
coefficients.

*Concept
Most materials are subject to thermal expansion: a tendency to expand when
heated, and to contract when cooled. For this reason, bridges are built with metal
expansion joints, so that they can expand and contract without causing faults in the
overall structure of the bridge. Other machines and structures likewise have built-in
protection against the hazards of thermal expansion. But thermal expansion can
also be advantageous, making possible the workings of thermometer and
thermostats.

*Thermal Expansion Formula

If the temperature of a body is increased that leads to thermal expansion giving

out change in dimension either in length, volume or area. Hence, there are three
types of thermal expansion - Linear expansion, Area expansion and Volume
expansion.

There are three thermal expansion formulas:

1). If there is change in length that gives the linear expansion. Linear expansion
formula is given by,

where,
L0 is original length,
L is the expanded length,
is length expansion coefficient,
T is temperature difference,
L is change in length.

2). If there is any change in volume due to temperature change that gives the
volume expansion. Volume expansion formula is given by,

where,
V0 is the original volume,
V is the expanded volume,
is volume expansion coefficient,
T is temperature difference,
V is change in volume after expansion.
3). If there is any change in area due to temperature change that gives the area
expansion. Area expansion formula is given by,

where,
A is original area,
A is the change in area,
is area expansion coefficient,
T is temperature difference,
A0 is expanded area.