Problem 3: Thermal expansionThe steel rod has the length 2 m and cross-section area 200 cm2at the room temperature 20◦C. Weapply the heat source and the temperature of the rod increases. The coefficient of linear expansion isα= 2×10−6K−1.a) What is the new length of the rod if the temperature jumps to 80◦C?b) What is the percentage of the volume change of the rod?c) What is the maximal temperature we can allow if the volume should not increase by more thanhalf percent?

a) 2.00024 m

b) 0.036%

c) 436.67°C

Explanation:

Given

Initial length = L₀ = 2 m

Initial cross sectional Area = A₀ = 200 cm² = 0.02 m²

We can obtain initial volume = V₀ = A₀L₀ = 0.02 × 2 = 0.04 m³

Initial Temperature = T₀ = 20°C

Coefficient of linear expansivity = α = (2 × 10⁻⁶) (°C)⁻¹

a) New length of the rod after heating to 80°C

Linear expansion is given as

ΔL = L₀ × α ×ΔT

ΔL = 2 × 2 × 10⁻⁶ × (80 - 20) = 0.00024 m = 0.24 mm

New length = old length + expansion = 2 + 0.00024 = 2.00024 m

b) The percentage of the volume change of the rod.

Volume expansion is given by

ΔV = V₀ × (3α) × ΔT

Volume expansivity ≈ 3 × (linear expansivity)

ΔV = 0.04 × (3×2×10⁻⁶) × (80 - 20) = 0.0000144 m³

Percentage change in volume = 100% × (ΔV/V₀) = 100% × (0.0000144/0.04) = 0.036%

c) The maximal temperature we can allow if the volume should not increase by more than half percent.

For a half percent increase in volume, the corresponding change in volume needs to be first calculated.

Percentage change in volume = 100% × (ΔV/V₀)

0.5 = 100% × (ΔV/0.04)

(ΔV/0.04) = 0.005

ΔV = 0.0002 m³

Then we now investigate the corresponding temperature that causes this.

ΔV = V₀ × (3α) × ΔT

0.0002 = 0.04 × (3×2×10⁻⁶) × ΔT

ΔT = (0.0002)/(0.04 × 3 × 2 × 10⁻⁶) = 416.67°C

Maximal temperature = T₀ + ΔT = 20 + 416.67 = 436.67°C