Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in volume in response to temperature changes. Thermometers use thermal expansion - liquids inside thermometers expand or contract and rise or fall depending on temperature. Other applications include bi-metallic strips in thermometers bending due to differing expansion of the two metals. Rail tracks can buckle due to thermal expansion of long sections. Materials expand when heated as particles move farther apart on average. The coefficient of thermal expansion quantifies a material's expansion relative to temperature change.

1. Heat and
Temperature:
Thermal
Expansion
Grade 8

2. What is Thermal
Expansion??
• Thermal expansion is the tendency
of matter to change in volume in
response to a change in temperature.

3. Thermal Expansion Application
• Thermometers are another application of
thermal expansion — most contain a
liquid (usually mercury or alcohol) which is
constrained to flow in only one direction
(along the tube) due to changes in volume
brought about by changes in temperature.
A bi-metal mechanical thermometer uses
a bimetallic strip and bends due to the
differing thermal expansion of the two
metals.

4. Illustrative Example
• Thermal expansion of long continuous sections of rail
tracks is the driving force for rail buckling. This
phenomenon resulted in 190 train derailments during
1998–2002 in the US alone.

5. Remember……..
• When a substance is heated, its particles
begin moving more and thus usually maintain
a greater average separation. Materials which
contract with increasing temperature are
unusual; this effect is limited in size, and only
occurs within limited temperature ranges.
The degree of expansion divided by the
change in temperature is called the
material's coefficient of thermal
expansion and generally varies with
temperature.

6. Activity Card 1
• Unscramble the words which are related to
thermal expansion.
EHAT
ESNGHAC
RACTCONT
EPMTRTEAREU
ANDPXE

7. Activity Card 2
Choose from the word box to fill up the missing words in the
given statements.
• _________ is the tendency of matter to change
in volume in response to a change in temperature.
• The degree of expansion divided by the change in
temperature is called the material‘ s _______________.
• A bi-metal mechanical thermometer uses a ________ and
bends due to the differing thermal expansion of the two
metals.
• Thermal expansion of long continuous sections of rail
tracks is the driving force for ________.
• When a substance is ________, its particles begin moving
more and thus usually maintain a greater average
separation.

8. Word Box of Activity 2
bimetallic
strip
coefficient
of thermal
expansion
Cooled
rail
buckling
Thermal
Expansion
heated

9. Assessment Card 1
Answer the following questions briefly.
1. What happens when the thermometer is
placed in contact with any object?
2. Why does the liquid inside the tube of a
thermometer go up or down?

10. Assessment Card 2
Answer the following questions correctly.
1. What happens when the thermometer
bulb is placed in hot water? Describe.
2. What happens when the thermometer
bulb is placed in cold water? Describe.

11. Enrichment Card 1
Thermal Expansion of Gases
Apparatus
a small flask with an open top slightly smaller than a 20 cent coin,
20 cent coin, some water and ice for cooling
Action
The flask is cooled and the coin placed over the top and sealed
with a little water. The students then place their hands around the
flask. This causes the coin to jump up slightly as gas escapes.
The Physics
The heat from the student’s hands causes the gas inside the
bottle to expand, increasing the pressure inside the bottle. When
the force due to the pressure of the gas is greater than the weight
of the coin it pops up, allowing some gas to escape and equalizing
the pressure.

12. Accompanying sheet:
Cool the bottle using the ice, then take it out.
Wet the coin and place it on top of the bottle.
Now cup your hands around the bottle and
observe what happens. Explain your
observations.

13. Enrichment Card 2
Thermal Expansion of Liquids
Apparatus
flask containing liquid with high coefficient of thermal expansion – such
as ethanol with a bit of food colouring- with cork stopper fitted with a
glass tube
Action
The students cup their hands around the flask and observe the rise of
the liquid in the tube.
The Physics
The liquid expands as it is heated. The heat from the hands increases
the kinetic energy of the molecules in the liquid, so they move faster on
average and tend to move further apart as the collide and bump around.
This results in an expansion of the liquid. The expansion is easy to see in
the tube, but very difficult to see without one. Note that there is a small
rise in the tube due to capillary motion before the flask is heated.

14. Accompanying sheet
Hold the beaker in your hands.
What happens to the liquid in the tube?
Explain what you observe.

15. Enrichment Card 3
Thermal Expansion of Solids – Bimetallic Strip
Apparatus
bimetallic strip clamped on a retort stand, hair dryer or hot
glue gun or some other (safe) means of heating the strip
Action
The students heat the strip and observe what happens to it.
They should try to explain their observations and give an
example of how such a strip could be used.
The Physics
The bimetallic strip is made of two metal strips, stuck
together. One of the metals expands much more than the
other when they are heated. This causes the strip to bend. A
bi-metallic strip can be used as a sensor in a thermostat.
When the strip starts to get hot, it will bend, and can be used
as a switch which either closes or opens a circuit as it bends
to or away from a contact.

16. Accompanying sheet
Heat the strip using the hot air gun.
What happens to the strip, and why?
Can you think of a use for such a strip?

17. Answer Card for Activity 1
• HEAT
• CONTRACT
• TEMPERATURE
• CHANGES
• EXPAND

18. Answer Card for Activity 2
• Thermal expansion
• Coefficient of thermal expansion
• Bimetallic Strip
• Rail Buckling
• Heated

19. Answer Card for Assessment Card 1
1. The mercury column either rises or
drops.
2. This happens because the mercury
inside expand or contracts in response
to a change in temperature.

20. Answer Card for Assessment Card 2
1. When the thermometer bulb is placed
in hot water, the liquid inside the tube
expands. As it does, it takes more
space and so it goes up the tube.
2. When the thermometer bulb is placed
in cold water, the liquid contracts and
so it goes down the tube.