Question

What is the idea of Thermal Expansion?

Answer 1

See below.

Explanation:

The idea of thermal expansion is that a material can change in shape/area/volume in response to a change in temperature.

There are three general types of thermal expansion: linear, area, and volume.

• Linear  expansion:

`color(blue)((DeltaL)/L_0=alphaDeltaT)`

Where:

• `L_0` is the original length of the material
• `DeltaL` is the change in length (making `(DeltaL)/L_0` the fractional change in length)
• `alpha` is the expansion coefficient (depends on specific material), and
• `DeltaT` is the temperature change experienced by the material

• Area expansion:

`color(red)((DeltaA)/A_0=2alphaDeltaT)`

• Where `(DeltaA)/A_0` is the fractional change in area 

• Every linear dimension increases by the same percentage with a change in temperature.

• Volume expansion:

`color(purple)((DeltaV)/V_0=3alphaDeltaT)`

• Where `(DeltaV)/V_0` is the fractional change in volume