44
Thermal Expansion at the atomic level
At the atomic level, thermal expansion means there is an increase in the
average spacing between atoms. As a particular atom oscillates about its
equilibrium
position, it experiences an asymmetric potential energy as
shown in figure 2. If it moves towards another atom it experiences a very
steep rise in the potential energy. Whereas if it moves away from the other
atom, it experiences a relatively slow increase in the potential energy and so
travels much further. The asymmetry in the potential energy curve leads to a
shift in the average position of the atom.
(Adopted from
Достарыңызбен бөлісу: 
