THE PRACTICE STUDIO
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PRACTICE / Thermal expansion
Series rods share force, not stress
Two 1.0 m rods in series fit between rigid supports without initial stress. Their cross-sectional areas are 10 mm² and 20 mm²; their α values are 10 × 10⁻⁶ and 20 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ respectively. Both have Y = 100 GPa and warm by 30 K. Exclude buckling and yielding.
What is the common compressive force magnitude?
Organize the givens & assumptions
- L1 = L2 = 1 m
- A1 = 10 mm²; A2 = 20 mm²
- α1 = 10 × 10⁻⁶; α2 = 20 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹
- Y1 = Y2 = 100 GPa
- Rise = 30 K
Uniform temperatures and the stated expansion coefficients; small thermal strains and first-order expansion unless a retained ratio is explicitly requested. Free expansion except for the named axial constraints. Constrained rods remain straight and linearly elastic; no buckling, yielding or moving supports.
- A
- B
- C
- D
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