Follow
Welcome, Guest
Username: Password: Remember me
  • Page:
  • 1

TOPIC:

I1-14: THERMAL EXPANSION OF ALUMINUM - OPTICAL LEV 9 years 7 months ago #1287

  • zzfixk21
  • zzfixk21's Avatar Topic Author
  • Offline
  • User is blocked
  • User is blocked
  • Posts: 1014
  • Karma: 1
  • Thank you received: 0




ID Code: I1-14
Purpose: Demonstrate thermal expansion in a complicated way.
Description: A small mirror with an iron lever attached to it rests on one end of an aluminum tube. The other edge of the lever rests on the pole of a magnet. When the aluminum tube is heated with a burner the mirror is deflected. To measure this deflection a laser beam is reflected off the mirror onto a scale as shown in the picture. When the tube is heated the laser spot is deflected about 50 cm when the distance between the mirror and the scale is about 2 m. The picture at the right is a detail of the mirror mount.
Availability: Available

Please Log in to join the conversation.

I1-14: THERMAL EXPANSION OF ALUMINUM - OPTICAL LEV 9 years 7 months ago #1387

  • daetwyler
  • daetwyler's Avatar
  • Offline
  • Administrator
  • Administrator
  • Posts: 83
  • Thank you received: 1
Interestingly, the material cools and shrinks much more slowly than it heats and expands, It typically heats up enough to deflect the beam noticeably in only a few seconds, but may take 15-10 minutes to return to its starting position.
What is the primary cause of this difference? Would it be interesting to have students discuss why this is?

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • Page:
  • 1
Time to create page: 0.081 seconds