Heat tends to push molecules apart {expansion, matter}| {thermal expansion} {heat expansion}. Temperature increase adds random translational kinetic energy to material and makes molecules collide faster, so molecules spread more. Material molecules have attractive forces, which resist random motion.
coefficient
Higher temperature makes material volume bigger by a ratio {coefficient of volume expansion} {volume-expansion coefficient}. Higher temperature makes material length longer by a ratio {coefficient of linear expansion} {linear-expansion coefficient}. Length change dL equals length L times temperature change dT times linear-expansion coefficient c: dL = c * L * dT. Volume change dV equals volume V times temperature change dT times volume-expansion coefficient c: dV = c * V * dT.
coefficient: gas
All gases have same volume-expansion coefficient, because gases approximate ideal gas.
examples
Road cracks, erosion, and thermostats with bimetallic strips illustrate thermal expansion.
Physical Sciences>Physics>Heat
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Date Modified: 2022.0224