PowerPoint tutorial of the basics of thermal expansion.

1. This work is supported by the National Science Foundation’s
Directorate for Education and Human Resources TUES-1245025, IUSE-
1612248, IUSE-1725347, and IUSE-1914915. Questions, contact education-AT-unavco.org
THERMAL EXPANSION OF WATER
An Important Contributor to Sea-Level Rise
Version: Jan 16, 2019

2. THERMAL EXPANSION
• Thermal expansion refers to
the tendency of matter to
change shape, area, and
volume in response to a
change in temperature.
• When a substance is heated,
the molecules begin to
vibrate and move more, and
maintain a larger
separation. This results in
the molecules taking up
greater volume.

3. WATER EXPANDS AS IT WARMS

4. THERMAL EXPANSION OF WATER
• As the ocean warms,
the density decreases.
Thus even at constant
mass the volume of the
ocean increases when
warmed.
• Thermal expansion
occurs at all ocean
temperatures and is a
major contributor to
sea-level changes.

5. THE MAJORITY OF ADDITIONAL ENERGY IN THE
EARTH’S CLIMATE SYSTEM IS STORED IN THE OCEANS
• Ocean warming
dominates the total
energy change
inventory.
Plot of energy accumulation in ZJ (1 ZJ =
1021 J) within distinct components of the
Earth’s climate system relative to 1971 and
from 1971 to 2010 unless otherwise
indicated (IPCC 2014).