Re: Heating tape

[herbgottlieb@juno.com (Herbert H Gottlieb)]

On Thu, 08 Oct 1998 23:54:39 -0700 Ron Ebert <ebert@citrus.ucr.edu>
writes:
> We have a lecture demonstration which qualitatively demonstrates the
> coefficient of expansion. It shouldn't be hard to adapt it as a lab 
> where the students can carry out quantitative measurements. It consists
of a 
> long aluminum rod fixed at one end with a bench clamp. The other end
rests 
> on a wood block, but between the rod and the block is a needle set 
> perpendicular to the rod. The end of the needle extends out past the
edge of the 
> table, and affixed to it is a large paper arrow. When the aluminum rod
is 
> heated with a burner, the arrow will rotate noticeably.
Ron... 
This sounds like an easy to prepare demo with excellent visibility for
large lecture halls. I'm going to show it at the next meeting of the New
York City Physics Teachers .... and giving you full credit for the
suggestion.  However it seems to demonstrate that an aluminum rod will
lengthen as it is heated. As you say...it is not easy to use this
apparatus for determining the coefficient of linear expansion.

Herb Gottlieb from New York City
(Where we invite you to see Ron's expansion demo at our next physics
teachers' meeting at New York University on Friday evening, October 23.)