Thermal Expansion

Thermal Expansion

Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change its dimensions when its temperature changes, because particles vibrate more and occupy more space as they gain heat. This chapter covers expansion in solids (linear,…

• Thermal expansion is the increase in dimensions of a body due to a rise in temperature.
• It occurs because the average amplitude of atomic vibration increases, increasing mean interatomic separation.
• Solids undergo linear ($\alpha$), superficial ($\beta$) and cubical ($\gamma$) expansion.

~15 min · full explanation, examples & memory tricks in the app