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Module 3 Answers

The document describes 5 examples of thermal expansion in real-life situations: 1) Engine coolants expanding with heat can overflow radiators if overfilled 2) Metal jar lids expanding with heat while glass jars do not can cause the lids to become stuck 3) Bridges include expansion joints to accommodate thermal expansion of the bridge materials 4) Mercury in thermometers expands more than glass containers in response to temperature changes 5) Bimetallic strips in thermostats bend due to different expansion rates of the two metals.

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Module 3 Answers

The document describes 5 examples of thermal expansion in real-life situations: 1) Engine coolants expanding with heat can overflow radiators if overfilled 2) Metal jar lids expanding with heat while glass jars do not can cause the lids to become stuck 3) Bridges include expansion joints to accommodate thermal expansion of the bridge materials 4) Mercury in thermometers expands more than glass containers in response to temperature changes 5) Bimetallic strips in thermostats bend due to different expansion rates of the two metals.

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JamesBuensalidoDellava
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© © All Rights Reserved
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MODULE 3 ANSWERS

STATION A.

1.) Before heating up the metal, I have observed that the metal ball is seamlessly fitted
or can easily pass through the metal ring.

2.) Right after the metal ball was heated over the flame for 5 minutes, I immediately
inserted it to the metal ring, and I have observed that it can’t pass through this time.
This is because of thermal expansion, the process of gaining heat energy. The heat
coming from the flame allows the metal ball to expand its volume by gaining heat
energy.

STATION B.

1.) 20 C
2.) 38 C
3.) 13 C

2.) There is a difference between the temperature readings because of the process
called thermal expansion and the presence of heat energy. For example, in hot water,
since it absorbed tremendous amount of heat, its volume eventually expands due to
temperature rise. On the other hand, for cold water, since it has a lower temperature
compared to hot water, the volume becomes lower as well. Whereas, for the room
temperature, it is considered as the base line since it is not cold neither hot but it is
influenced by the natural heat that we have.

STATION C.

2.) When the balloon was placed on the top of the bottle with hot water inside, I have
observed that the deflated balloon, was gradually inflated. On the other hand, when the
inflated balloon was removed from the bottle with hot water, and was placed hastily on
another bottle with cold water, the inflated balloon was gradually deflated. This is due to
the process of thermal expansion. Initially, the gas/air molecules inside and outside the
bottle was equal. The hot water inside the bottle makes the air inside hot as well,
resulting in the expansion or spreading out of gas molecules that moves around quickly.
On the other hand, the cold water in another bottle contains cold air, making the gas
molecules sank, collapsed, or condensed resulting in the sudden deflation of the
balloon, slowing down the gas molecules.
IV. Conclusion

Therefore, I conclude that thermal expansion refers to the tendency of matter to


change in shape, volume, and area in response to a change in temperature. Through
these simple experiments or activities, I was able to demonstrate the process of thermal
expansion, how it works and its end results.

In this experiment, I was able to prove that a material that absorbs enough
amount of heat, will lead to thermal expansion, where the volume increases and
expands. On the other hand, an object that contains a lower temperature will have a
contraction in its volume. Generally, the objects expands when there is increase in its
temperature and it contracts when there is a decrease in the temperature. Moreover,
each object has its unique way of responding to the heat energy that is present.

Engineers play a big role in building different infrastructures in our community.


The fact that metals or steel expands when heated, gives them a role of making sure
that every single material is properly built and connected. One disadvantage of thermal
expansion can be clearly seen in bridges. During hot weather, bridges eventually
expand, thus allowance for expansion is badly needed. The lack of allowance for
expansion will lead to the risk of damage and threat of life as well.

On the other hand, we can’t deny the fact that thermal expansion is
advantageous as well. This can be clearly seen when a person wanted to fit a metal tire
to a wooden wheel but the metal tire is a little bit smaller than the wooden wheel. In this
case, the metal tire can be heated to perfectly fit it to the wooden wheel. Our world is
indeed full of mysteries and amazing revelations, and thermal expansion is undeniably
one of them.

IV. APPLICATION

Thermal expansion can be clearly evident in some real-life situations. Here are
some of them:

1.) ENGINE COOLANTS


An example of thermal expansion on the part of a liquid can be found inside the
car's radiator. If the radiator is "topped off" with coolant on a cold day, an increase in
temperature could very well cause the coolant to expand until it overflows. In the past,
this produced a problem for car owners, because car engines released the excess
volume of coolant onto the ground, requiring periodic replacement of the fluid.

2.) JAR LIDS AND POWERLINES


An everyday example of thermal expansion can be seen in the kitchen. Almost
everyone has had the experience of trying unsuccessfully to budge a tight metal lid on a
glass container, and after running hot water over the lid, finding that it gives way and
opens at last. The reason for this is that the high-temperature water causes the metal lid
to expand. On the other hand, glass—as noted earlier—has a low coefficient of
expansion. Otherwise, it would expand with the lid, which would defeat the purpose of
running hot water over it. If glass jars had a high coefficient of expansion, they would
deform when exposed to relatively low levels of heat.

3.) EXPANSION OF JOINTS


Most large bridges include expansion joints, which look rather like two metal
combs facing one another, their teeth interlocking. When heat causes the bridge to
expand during the sunlight hours of a hot day, the two sides of the expansion joint move
toward one another; then, as the bridge cools down after dark, they begin gradually to
retract. Thus the bridge has a built-in safety zone; otherwise, it would have no room for
expansion or contraction in response to temperature changes. As for the use of the
comb shape, this staggers the gap between the two sides of the expansion joint, thus
minimizing the bump motorists experience as they drive over it.

4.) MERCURY IN THERMOMETERS


A thermometer gauges temperature by measuring a temperature-dependent
property. A thermostat, by contrast, is a device for adjusting the temperature of a
heating or cooling system. Both use the principle of thermal expansion in their
operation. As noted in the example of the metal lid and glass jar above, glass expands
little with changes in temperature; therefore, it makes an ideal container for the mercury
in a thermometer. As for mercury, it is an ideal thermometric medium—that is, a
material used to gauge temperature—for several reasons. Among these is a high boiling
point, and a highly predictable, uniform response to changes in temperature.

5.) THE BIMETALLIC STRIP IN THERMOSTATS


In a thermostat, the central component is a bimetallic strip, consisting of thin
strips of two different metals placed back to back. One of these metals is of a kind that
possesses a high coefficient of linear expansion, while the other metal has a low
coefficient. A temperature increase will cause the side with a higher coefficient to
expand more than the side that is less responsive to temperature changes. As a result,
the bimetallic strip will bend to one side.

SOURCE: http://www.scienceclarified.com/everyday/Real-Life-Physics-Vol-2/Thermal-
Expansion-Real-life-applications.html#ixzz6d0SXSUjK

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