1. Bimetallic Strip Activity
Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

2. Problem: Materials: Bunsen burner Safety goggles Flint lighter
How can physical properties of 2 metals differ?
Materials:
Bunsen burner
Safety goggles
Flint lighter
Bimetallic strip
Ring/ball sticks

3. Procedure: 1. Put metal strip in top of flame. Observe what happens
2. Experiment with ring and ball in flame. What happens when they are heated?

4. Observations: Discussion:
Explain using the particle theory how the bimetallic strip responded and why the ring/ball behaved the way they did.
What are some practical applications from this activity? (Where would we use this in the real world?)

5. What happened?
Coefficient of thermal expansion: how the size of an object changes with a change in temperature
2 strips of different metals which expand at different rates as they are heated; causing a curve.

6. Which metal do you think had a HIGHER coefficient of thermal expansion?

7. Applications from the real world?
Metal # 1 (or metal on outer curve)
This metal changes at a HIGHER temperature than metal #2
Applications from the real world?

8. Applications from the real world