- #1
lookez
- 3
- 1
Considering the linear thermal dilation formula ΔL=Li*a*ΔT (length change equals initial length times thermal dilation coefficient times temperature change), I was wondering why does it not work backwards? am I using it wrong or is there something missing?
For instance if we assume a=5*10^-5 , ΔT=100 and Li=20 then ΔL will be = 20*0.00005*100 = 0.1 which gives us a new length of 20.1, now if we do ΔT=(-100) we get ΔL = 20.1*0.00005*(-100) = -0.1005 instead of -0.1!
The way I see it this implies that if you repeatedly raise and lower the temperature of an object it will get smaller and smaller until the length reaches zero or negative. And obviously that's impossible. What's going on? I do realize this formula seems to be only used for thermal expansion, when ΔT > 0, but isn't it supposed to work backwards too?
For instance if we assume a=5*10^-5 , ΔT=100 and Li=20 then ΔL will be = 20*0.00005*100 = 0.1 which gives us a new length of 20.1, now if we do ΔT=(-100) we get ΔL = 20.1*0.00005*(-100) = -0.1005 instead of -0.1!
The way I see it this implies that if you repeatedly raise and lower the temperature of an object it will get smaller and smaller until the length reaches zero or negative. And obviously that's impossible. What's going on? I do realize this formula seems to be only used for thermal expansion, when ΔT > 0, but isn't it supposed to work backwards too?