Expansion of solids, liquids and gases
Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change its shape, area, volume, in response to a change in
temperature. When a substance is heated, molecules begin to vibrate and move more, usually creating
more distance between themselves. Substances which contract with increasing temperature are unusual,
and only occur within limited temperature ranges.
The coefficient of thermal expansion describes how the size of an object changes with a change in
temperature. Specifically, it measures the fractional change in size per degree change in temperature at a
constant pressure, such that lower coefficients describe lower propensity for change in size. Several types
of coefficients have been developed: volumetric, area, and linear.
Linear expansion means change in one dimension (length) the change in length measurements of an object
due to thermal expansion is related to temperature change by a coefficient of linear thermal expansion.
∆l = α l c ∆T
Area expansion
The area thermal expansion coefficient relates the change in a material's area dimensions to a change in
temperature.
Ah = Ac(1 + 2α∆T
Volume expansion of solids We now need to consider the expansion of a solid in three dimensions, where
the length, breadth and height of the substance all increase on heating.
V h = Vc(1 + 3α∆T)
Expansion in liquids
liquids have no definite shape and they take the shape of the container. Consequently, liquids have no
definite length and area, so linear and areal expansions of liquids. The expansion of liquids is usually
measured in a container. When a liquid expands in a vessel, the vessel expands along with the liquid. Hence
the observed increase in volume (as measured by the liquid level) is not the actual increase in its volume.
The expansion of the liquid relative to the container is called its apparent expansion, while the actual
expansion of the liquid is called real expansion or absolute expansion.
Quantity of heat, specific heat capacity and heat capacity
One calorie is the quantity of heat energy required to increase the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C. The
amount of energy in joules required to increase the temperature of 1 g of water by 1 °C is 4.18 J and so: 1
cal = 4.2 J
the amount of heat energy required would depend on three things:
1. The substance being heated.
2. The mass of the substance. The greater the mass of the substance, the more heat energy will be required
to raise its temperature.
3. The temperature rise required.
Each substance has a specific heat capacity (c), which is defined as: The heat energy required to raise the
temperature of 1 kg of a given substance by 1 K.
specific heat capacity, the quantity heat energy required (Q) to increase the temperature of a substance is
found using the equation below:
c = Q/ m∆T This is usually written as: Q= mc∆T
m = mass of substance (kg) c = specific capacity of substance (J/kg K)
The heat energy lost from the hot body will equal the heat gained by the cold body.
Heat energy lost by hotter body = heat energy gained by colder body
A calorimeter is used in specific heat capacity and heat capacity experiments
Changes of state
Heating curves show how the temperature changes as a substance is heated up. Cooling curves are the
opposite. They show how the temperature changes as a substance is cooled down.
cooling curve a graph showing the temperature of a substance against time as it loses heat energy and
changes state heating curve a graph showing the temperature of a substance against time as heat energy is
applied and it changes state melted when a substance has changed from a solid to a liquid state phase the
distinct form of a substance under different conditions e.g. solid, liquid, gas
latent heat, energy absorbed or released by a substance during a change in its physical state (phase) that
occurs without changing its temperature. The latent heat associated with melting a solid or freezing a liquid
is called the heat of fusion; that associated with vaporizing a liquid or a solid or condensing a vapour is
called the heat of vaporization.
the latent heat for a given mass of a substance is calculated by Q= mL
