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Lesson: Chapter 9 — Heat

9.4. Thermal expansion 2 of 5

Expansion of solids

Activity 9.3 shows a solid expanding.

Activity 9.3 — the ball and ring

You will need: an iron ball and a ring it only just passes through, a stand, a burner

  1. Pass the ball through the ring.
  2. Heat the ball and try again.
  3. Let it cool and try once more.

Figure to be added

Figure 9.17 — (a) the cold iron ball passes through the ring; (b) after heating it will not.

The observation

The hot ball will not pass through; once it cools it passes again. Solids expand when heated and contract when cooled.