Older railroad tracks in the U.S. are made of 12-m-long pieces of steel. When the tracks are laid, gaps are left between the sections o prevent buckling when the steel thermally expands. Part A If a track is laid at 16 o C, how large should the gaps be if the track is not to buckle when the temperature is as high as 50 o C? The coefficient of linear expansion of soft steel is 1.1 × 10 − 5 C − 1

Question

Older railroad tracks in the U.S. are made of 12-m-long pieces of steel. When the tracks are laid, gaps are left between the sections o prevent buckling when the steel thermally expands. Part A If a track is laid at       16    o    C, how large should the gaps be if the track is not to buckle when the temperature is as high as       50    o    C? The coefficient of linear expansion of soft steel is   1.1  ×      10          −      5            C          −      1

obertsU0K · Accepted Answer

α  =  1.1  ×      10          −      5            C          −      1          δ  L  =  e  x  p  a  n  s  i  o  n     i  n     l  e  n  g  t  h    δ  L  =  α  ×  L  ×  (  T  f  −  T  i  )    δ  L  =  1.1  ×      10          −      5        ×  12  ×  (  50  −  16  )    δ  L  =  4.488  m  m

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