Volumetric expansion is the increase in the volume of a material (usually a solid, liquid, or gas) as its temperature rises. When a substance is heated, its particles move more vigorously and tend to occupy more space, causing the overall volume to expand.
In simple terms, volumetric expansion describes how much a material’s volume grows when heated.
Key points:
- It applies to solids, liquids, and gases.
- The volume change is typically proportional to the temperature change.
- It’s described by the formula:
ΔV=βV0ΔT\Delta V = \beta V_0 \Delta T
where:
- ΔV\Delta V = change in volume,
- β\beta = volumetric expansion coefficient (a material-specific constant),
- V0V_0 = original volume,
- ΔT\Delta T = change in temperature.