Other Free Encyclopedias » Science Encyclopedia » Science & Philosophy: Thallophyta to Toxicology » Thermodynamics - Historical Background, Temperature, Expansion Coefficients, Thermostats, Water, Heat, The First Law Of Thermodynamics - Conservation of energy

Thermodynamics - Thermostats

temperature changes strips

Since various metals expand at different rates, a thermostat can be made to measure changes in temperature by securely fastening together two strips of metal with different expansion coefficients. If they are straight at one temperature, they will be bent at any other temperature, since one will have expanded or contracted more than the other. These are used in many homes to regulate the temperature by causing an electrical contact to be made or broken as temperature changes cause the end of the strips to move.

Thermodynamics - Water [next] [back] Thermodynamics - Expansion Coefficients

User Comments

Your email address will be altered so spam harvesting bots can't read it easily.
Hide my email completely instead?

Cancel or