Thermodynamics question: density, linear expansion and temperature

AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on calculating the density of an object with an initial density of 1250 kg/m³ at 10°C, given its coefficient of linear expansion. Participants clarify that volume expansion affects density, leading to the conclusion that density decreases as temperature increases. The correct approach involves using the volume expansion formula and relating it to density, ultimately arriving at a final density of approximately 1248.6 kg/m³ at 25°C. The conversation emphasizes the importance of understanding the relationship between density, volume, and temperature changes in thermodynamics.
Patricia Reid
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An object has a density of 1250 kg m3 at 10C and a coefficient of linear expansion of α = 2.5 × 10−5 1 /K . What is the object’s density when the temperature is 25C?

I have tried using the equation ΔL=αL° ΔT but this equation has nothing to do with density.

the answer should be: 1248.6

Your help would be greatly appreciated!
 
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Patricia Reid said:
An object has a density of 1250 kg m3

This is a volume mass density, which should have units of mass / volume. The expansion of the object is not restricted to one dimension.

Patricia Reid said:
I have tried using the equation ΔL=αL° ΔT but this equation has nothing to do with density.

This is not true. Any change in dimensions will be accompanied by a change in density. Why is this? Is the object's mass changing? How are density and volume related? Is there an equation that fits better for a change in volume?

Good luck.
 
uselesslemma said:
This is a volume mass density, which should have units of mass / volume. The expansion of the object is not restricted to one dimension.
This is not true. Any change in dimensions will be accompanied by a change in density. Why is this? Is the object's mass changing? How are density and volume related? Is there an equation that fits better for a change in volume?

Good luck.

Ok thanks! So you could use the equation β=3α and then use the volume expansion formula. The equation that relates density to volume is ρ=M/V... but you don;t know what the mass is.
 
Patricia Reid said:
The equation that relates density to volume is ρ=M/V... but you don;t know what the mass is.

Did you try expressing the volume expansion formula in terms of ρ instead of V? You should find a result that is independent of the object's mass.
 
[QUO TE="uselesslemma, post: 5061484, member: 542831"]Did you try expressing the volume expansion formula in terms of ρ instead of V? You should find a result that is independent of the object's mass.[/QUOTE]

Ok so you go...
V=3αVΔT
=3αΔTM/ρ
=3(2.5*10-5)(298-283)M/1250
=9.0*10-7M

Am I on the right track?
 
Patricia Reid said:
V=3αVΔT

Check the correctness of this equation by comparing to the one you provided for linear expansion. V should not cancel algebraically...otherwise how would you find ρ?
 
uselesslemma said:
Check the correctness of this equation by comparing to the one you provided for linear expansion. V should not cancel algebraically...otherwise how would you find ρ?

So I ended up using the equation V=(1+β(Tf-Ti)) Vi and substituting v=m/ρ which gave me the right answer!

Thanks for your help!
 
Patricia Reid said:
So I ended up using the equation V=(1+β(Tf-Ti)) Vi and substituting v=m/ρ which gave me the right answer!

Thanks for your help!
Why did you do "1+" in your formula?
 
forceanger said:
Why did you do "1+" in your formula?

I'm not really sure... it was on a sheet my professor handed out it's suppose to be a parametrization for the volume or something it should have actually have been written as V(T)≈(1+β(Δt))V0
 
  • #10
Patricia Reid said:
I'm not really sure... it was on a sheet my professor handed out it's suppose to be a parametrization for the volume or something it should have actually have been written as V(T)≈(1+β(Δt))V0
This looks correct to me.

Chet
 
  • #11
Formula: Δρ=3αρΔT
Δρ=3*2.5*10-5*1250*(25-10)
Δρ=1.406 Kgm3
As temperature increases, volume increases. As volume increases, density decreases.
Thus as temperature increases, density decreases.
Therefore the final density at 25°C=initial density - final density
=1250-1.406
=1248.594 Kgm3
 
  • #12
ρ2=ρ1/1+βΔT
use this formula it should work.
 

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