Question

Describe an experiment to demonstrate the thermal expansion of a solid.

Answer 1

Thermal expansion in solids can be understood with the ball and ring experiment.

• Take a metal ball and a ring, the diameter of the ball should be such that it just passes through the ring.
• Heat the ball for some time over a burner.
• Try to pass it through the ring.
• It is observed that the ball does not pass through the ring.

This is because the volume of the metal ball increases on gaining heat energy. The increase in the volume of matter on gaining heat energy is called expansion or thermal expansion.