Question

A flat metal washer is heated. As the washer's temperature increases, what happens to the hole in the center? A flat metal washer is heated. As the washer's temperature increases, what happens to the hole in the center? The hole in the center of the washer will contract. The hole in the center of the washer will expand. Changes in the hole cannot be determined without know the composition of the metal. The hole in the center will remain the same size.

Answer 1

To solve this exercise it is necessary to take into account the concepts related to thermal expansion.

The thermal expansion is given by the function,

`\Delta L = L_0 \alpha \Delta T`

Where,

`\Delta L=` Change in Length

`\Delta T =`Change in Temperature

`\alpha =`Coeficiente de dilatación lineal

`L_0 =` Initial Length

By quickly deducing the formula, we can realize that the greater the change in temperature, the greater the change in the length of the radius.

The change in length is proportional to the change in temperature. Considering that the other two terms are constant we have that the correct one would be: The hole in the center of the washer will expand.