How to find the thermal expansion coefficient?

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SUMMARY

The thermal expansion coefficient (α) is defined as α = 20 x 10-6 °C-1 in the provided example. This coefficient quantifies how much a material expands per degree Celsius increase in temperature. To determine the thermal expansion coefficient from experimental data, one must analyze the relationship between temperature changes and corresponding dimensional changes in the material. The formula for calculating α involves measuring the change in length (ΔL) over the original length (L0) and the change in temperature (ΔT).

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  • Understanding of basic thermodynamics
  • Familiarity with material properties
  • Knowledge of dimensional analysis
  • Experience with experimental data collection
NEXT STEPS
  • Study the formula for calculating thermal expansion: α = ΔL / (L0 * ΔT)
  • Research methods for measuring dimensional changes in materials
  • Explore the impact of temperature on different materials' properties
  • Learn about thermal expansion in various engineering applications
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Students in materials science, mechanical engineers, and researchers focused on thermal properties of materials will benefit from this discussion.

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following is an example question i found on a lecture slide. I need some explanation to understand it.

http://img266.imageshack.us/img266/7062/thermal.png

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In this example, Is it possible to get the thermal expansion coefficient from the data given in the question? if then, how to do that?
 
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The thermal expansion coefficient α is given, α = 20 x 10-6 °C-1.
 

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