Estimating the Contraction of a Cooled Cylinder Assuming a Constant Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
Estimating the Contraction of a Cooled Cylinder Assuming a Constant Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
In the contraction of a hot steel cylinder immersed in a cooler medium, the coefficient of thermal expansion of steel decreases with temperature. Assuming that the coefficient of thermal expansion is constant can result in an overestimation or underestimation of the magnitude of the contraction. This Demonstration shows the possible variation between the two estimates.