Analysis

In conducting the experiment, the sources of the errors found were generally human,
mechanical and environmental errors. Specifically, when measuring the copper and
aluminum by using the meter stick, there is difficulty in accurately measuring small
distances. Secondly, the room temperature which, affects the results of the computed
value. Since, the experiment was held inside an air-conditioned room, the objects cools
faster than the normal temperature. Also, when the object was initially touched, the heat
coming from the person is being transferred to the object. Thus, this affects the reading
of the temperature from the multimeter causing the results to be further from the actual
value. Moreover, the experimenters reaction time of recording the resistance when the
gauge stopped moving. There are parallax error when recording the change of length
from the gauge. Lastly, the electrical glitches when using the built in gauge. For instance,
sometimes the gauge does not revolve in full cycle. Additionally, the impurities in metals
affect the rate of conduction of the heat in the copper and aluminum. As a consequence,
the computed value does not reach to the closest value of the actual.
Based on the gathered results, the computed values for the aluminum and copper tube
are the following:
Table A
Trial/Type of Tube
Change in Length of Tube, L
Resistance of Thermistor at Final

Aluminum Tube

Copper Tube

1.25mm

0.92 mm

40, 800

13, 250

21.1728 C

50.57 C

8.454 x 10-5 /C

2.5989 x 10-5 /C

28.80 x 10-6 /C

16.80 x 10-6 /C

254.3697 %

54.6964 %

Temperature, Rhot
Change in temperature of the Tube,
(thot trm)
Experimental Coefficient of Linear
Expansion, experimental
Actual Coefficient of Linear Expansion,
actual
Percent Error

Table A, displays the relation between experimental coefficient of linear expansion and
the actual value of the two metal samples. The amount the aluminum expands is 8.454 x
10-5 /C which tells that the experimental value is far from the actual having 28.80 x 10-6
/C. On the other hand, the copper obtained 2.5989 x 10 -5 /C which is farther from the
actual value of 16.80 x 10-6 /C. Comparing these two tubes in terms of their experimental
coefficient of linear expansion, the aluminum sample is quicker to expand than the
copper. When the aluminum tube is heated the separation between the atoms increases
causing the sample to expand. The resulting has contributed a slight significant change
in temperature, 21.1728 C, resulting to the expansion of aluminum.
Considering the variables from the coefficient linear of expansion, it implicates that the
amount of change in temperature, t, greatly affects the resulting expansion. Since the
proportionality of it is direct to the change in length of the two samples. If the object's
coefficient of linear expansion is greater, then the results from the change in length is also
large.
Sample Computation:

Aluminum Tube
=

Change in Length of Tube

= 1.25
Final Temperature of the Tube:

1.25
(700)(21.1728C)

= 8.43 105 / C
Percentage Error:

% =

= 45.2316C 24.1188C

| |
100%

%
= 21.1728C
=
Experimental Coefficient of Linear
Expansion:

|23.80 x 106 8.43 x 105 |

100%
23.80 x 106
% = 254.3697%

This sample computation shows that it really affects the expansion. The computed
percent error of aluminum and copper are 254.3697% and 54.6964%, respectively, it has
already exceeded from the allowed percent error. This due to the estimation of values for

Thot and Trm. Thus, it is not reliable to use as a proof for comparing the values to the
actual values of expansion.
Conclusion
The coefficient of linear expansion is determined by obtaining the value of the change in
length (L) and its original length (Lo) of the material. Moreover, when finding the change
in temperature (t) it is computed by having the difference of the final temperature from
the thermistor (thot) and the room temperature (trm).

By putting this altogether the

coefficient of linear expansion can be solved by the formula =

. Afterwards, this

will be utilized in calculating the percentage error.

When dealing with linear expansion, the change in temperature, length of the object after
heated and material used affects its expansion. To be more specific, the greater change
in temperature the greater expansion. Since, the separation of the atoms increases when
it is heated. On the other hand, the longer the original length of the material used will
result to greater expansion. The material used also affects since if there are materials
compared they might have the same value of dimension and temperature.
To sum it up, the greater the coefficient of linear expansion, the more it is going to expand
because of the change in temperature. After the aluminum and copper being heated, the
change in length and temperature must be recorded. Regarding this, original length is
also necessary for finding out the expansion.