What is thermal expansion in physics?
Q: What is thermal expansion in physics?
A: Thermal expansion in physics is the tendency of matter to change in volume in response to a change in temperature.
Q: What happens to the basic particles of a substance when it's heated?
A: When a substance is heated, its basic particles move around more quickly and maintain a greater average separation.
Q: Are materials that contract with an increase in temperature common or uncommon?
A: Materials that contract with an increase in temperature are uncommon.
Q: What is the coefficient of thermal expansion?
A: The coefficient of thermal expansion is the degree of expansion divided by the change in temperature of a material, which generally varies with temperature.
Q: Can thermal expansion become a problem for trains?
A: Yes, thermal expansion can become a problem for trains because it can cause the rails to buckle.
Q: How do thermometers use thermal expansion?
A: Thermometers contain a liquid which can only move in one direction (along the tube) when volume changes along with temperature.
Q: What do monitors on train rails do if the temperature becomes abnormally high?
A: Monitors on train rails will warn authorities if the temperature becomes abnormally high and trains could be told to slow down to reduce the heat of friction.
