Two rods made of different materials are placed between massive walls (see fig.). The cross-section of the rods is A and their respective lengths are l1and l2. The rods are heated through toC. Find the force with which the rods act on each other if their coefficients of expansion are α1 and α2 and their Young's moduli are E1 and E2. Neglect the deformation of the walls
F=Atl1α1+l2α2l1E1+l2E2
Since there is no shift in the junction, the sum net elongation of both the rods should be zero.
The net elongation in each rod is equal to (elongation due to heating - contraction due to the force)
Therefore, if F is the force acting at the junction, we have
Δl1=l1α1t−Fl1E1A
Similarly
Δl2=l2α2t−Fl2E2A
The two elongations should add up to zero.
l1α1t−Fl1E1A+l2α2t−Fl2E2A=0
⇒(l1α1+l2α2)t=FA(l1E1+l2E2)
⇒F=Atl1α1+l2α2l1E1+l2E2