Effect of Heat on Eiffel Tower
Research studies reveal that during summer the height of
the Eiffel tower increases by 7 inches.
When substances are heated or cooled, they undergo several important changes that are of immense practical importance. The changes that take place are:
- Expansion or change in length, area and volume
- Change of state
- Chemical and physical changes.
With few exceptions all forms of matter-solids, liquids, gases and plasmas – generally expand when they are heated and contract when they are cooled.
Different substances expand at different rates. A bimetallic strip, consisting of a strip of brass and a strip of steel welded together, at room temperature. When the strip is heated, one side of the strip becomes longer than the other, causing the strip to bend into a curve. On the other hand, when the strip is cooled, it tends to bend in the opposite direction because the metal that expands more also shrinks more. Many thermostats operate on this principle, making and breaking an electrical contact as the temperature rises and falls. The movement of the strip may be used to turn a pointer, regulate a valve, or close a switch, where temperature control is needed.