A steel railroad track has a length of 40 m when the temperature is - 5 ◦C. What is the increase in the length of the rail on a hot day when the temperature is 35 ◦C? The linear expansion coefficient of steel is 11 * 10-6 (◦C) - 1. Answer in units of m.

0.0176m

Explanation:

Given that,

railroad track has a length of 40 m

temperature is T₁ - 5 ◦C

temperature is T₂ 35 ◦C

linear expansion coefficient of steel is 11 * 10-6 (◦C) - 1

Lo = 40 m

T₁ = - 5° C

T₂ = 35° C

dT = T₂ - T₁

= 35 - (-5)

= 40°C

L = Lo * (1+alpha*dT)

dL = Lo*alpha*dT

dT = 40°C

alpah = 11 x 10⁻⁶

Lo = 40 m

dL = 40 * 11 x 10⁻⁶ * 40

= 0.0176m