A square hole, 30 cm on each edge, is cut in the center of a square aluminum plate 1 m on a side. The coefficient of linear expansion of aluminum is 2.4 × 10^-⁵/C^o. If the plate is heated 25^oC above the starting temperature, the area of the hole

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The area of the hole increases because the aluminum plate expands when heated. The coefficient of linear expansion is a measure of how much the material expands per unit length per degree of temperature change. The area of the hole is proportional to the square of the length of the edge, so the area will increase by a factor of (1 + 2.4 × 10^-5 * 25)^2 = 1.0012. This corresponds to an increase in area of 1.1 cm^2.

A Square Hole, 30 Cm on Each Edge, Is Cut