Volume Expansion of Solid and Hollow Objects at Different Temperatures

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the volume expansion of solid versus hollow objects made from the same material when subjected to temperature changes. Participants explore the implications of their structural differences on expansion behavior, considering theoretical and conceptual aspects of thermal expansion.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that since both bodies are made of the same material and have the same external dimensions, the coefficients of volume expansion should be the same, but the solid body will expand more due to its greater initial volume.
  • Another participant questions whether a solid body will necessarily expand to a larger diameter than a hollow body of the same initial diameter, raising the issue of how the hole in the hollow body behaves during expansion.
  • A different perspective is offered that both the hollow and solid objects should appear to expand the same amount externally, despite their structural differences.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether the solid and hollow objects will expand similarly or differently, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved with multiple competing perspectives.

Contextual Notes

Participants rely on assumptions about the coefficients of volume expansion and the behavior of hollow structures during thermal expansion, which may not be universally applicable without further clarification.

spaghetti3451
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Let's say you have two bodies which are made of the same material and have the same external dimensions and appearance, but one is solid and the other is hollow. You increase their temperature, now is the overall volume expansion the same or different?

What do you think?
 
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hi failexam! :wink:

tell us what you think, and then we'll comment! :smile:
 
The two bodies are made of the same material, so they must have the coefficients of volume expansion. Also, they have the same external dimensions.

But, one body is solid and the other is hollow. So, the solid body has greater volume than the hollow body.

Volume expansion depends on the coefficient of volume expansion, initial volume and external dimensions, so the solid body will expand more than the hollow body.

What do you think? :confused:
 
failexam said:
Volume expansion depends on the coefficient of volume expansion, initial volume and external dimensions, so the solid body will expand more than the hollow body.

yes :smile:, in the same sense that a large solid body will expand more than a small solid body …

but does that necessarily mean that a solid body will expand to a bigger diameter than the originally-same-diameter body?

what do you think happens to the hole?

what happens in the easy case of a hollow cube whose hole is one-third the diameter of the whole cube (so the hollow cube is 8 cubes joined together)? :wink:​
 
(as an aside, wouldn't that have to be 26 cubes? Nine on "top", nine on "bottom", and 8 between them? Basically it should be the number of cubes visible on the exterior of a Rubiks cube)

Anyway, my feeling is that the hollow and solid objects should expand the same amount--at least in appearances, from the outside.
 

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