When heat is applied to a solid, its molecules move faster and spread apart, causing the solid to expand. On the other hand, when the solid cools down, the molecules slow down and come closer, leading to contraction. This behaviour of expansion and contraction due to changes in temperature is commonly observed in metals and is important in everyday life, such as in the design of bridges, railway tracks, and thermometers.
Topics
The Living World: Adaptations and Classification
- Biodiversity
- Adaptations and Its Types
- Adaptations of Plants
- Adaptation in Aquatic Plants (Hydrophytes)
- Adaptation in Desert Plants (Xerophytes)
- Adaptation in plants of snowy regions
- Adaptation in Forest Plants
- Adaptation in Grassland Plants (Mesophytes)
- Adaptation for Ingestion of Food in Plants
- Adaptation in Animals
- Adaptation in Aquatic Animals
- Adaptation in Forest and Grassland Animals
- Adaptation in Desert Animals
- Adaptation in animals of snowy regions
- Adaptation in Aerial Animals
- Adaptation in Reptiles
- Adaptation for Food in Animals
- Adaptation for Blending with the Surroundings
- Classification of Living Organisms
- Taxonomic Hierarchy of Living Organisms: Unit of Classification
- Nomenclature
Plants: Structure and Function
Properties of Natural Resources
Nutrition in Living Organisms
- Nutrients and Nutrition
- Autotrophic Plants
- Symbiotic Plants
- Heterotrophic Plants
- Insectivorous Plants
- Saprophytic Plants
- Role of nutrients and effects of their deficiency on plants
- Transport System in Plants
- Nitrogen Fixation
- Nutrition in Animals
- Mode of Nutrition in Animals
- Holozoic Nutrition
- Saprozoic Nutrition
- Parasitic Nutrition
Food Safety
Measurement of Physical Quantities
Motion, Force and Work
Static Electricity
Heat
Disaster Management
Cell Structure and Micro-organisms
- Cell: Structural and Functional Unit of Life
- Measurement and observation of cells
- Plant Cell and Animal Cell
- Structure of the Cell
- Cell Wall - “Supporter and Protector”
- Plasma Membrane
- Cytoplasm - “Area of Movement”
- Nucleus - “Brain” of the Cell
- Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER)
- Golgi Apparatus - "The delivery system of the cell"
- Lysosome - “Suicidal Bag”
- Mitochondria - “Power House of the Cell”
- Non-living Substances Or Cell Inclusion
- Plastids
- Microorganisms (Microbes) and Microbiology
- Useful micro-organisms
- Harmful Microorganisms
- Pathogens: Disease-producing Micro-organisms
The Muscular System and Digestive System in Human Beings
- Muscular System
- Muscles and Its Types
- Human Digestive System
- The Mouth and Buccal Cavity
- The Teeth and Its Structure
- The Salivary Glands
- The Food Pipe/Oesophagus
- Pharynx/Throat
- The Stomach
- The Small Intestine
- Pancreas
- Liver
- The Large Intestine
- Important Glands of the Digestive System
- Effects of Tobacco, Alcohol, Smoking, on the Digestive System
Changes – Physical and Chemical
- Changes-Physical and Chemical
- Classification of Change: Natural and Man-made Changes
- Classification of Change: Harmful and Useful Changes
- Classification of Change: Slow and Fast Changes
- Classification of Change: Reversible and Irreversible Changes
- Classification of Change: Periodic and Non-periodic Changes
- Classification of Change: Physical Changes
- Classification of Change: Chemical Changes
- Corrosion of Metals
Elements, Compounds and Mixtures
Materials We Use
Natural Resources
Effects of Light
Sound: Production of Sound
Properties of a Magnetic Field
In the World of Stars
- Introduction
- Experiment
Introduction:
Experiment
1. Aim: To observe how solids expand when heated and contract when cooled.
2. Requirements: metal ring, metal ball (of size that fits through the ring), and burner.
3. Procedure
- Initially, verify whether the metal ball can pass through the ring at room temperature.
- Now, heat the metal ball using a burner.
- Try to pass the heated ball through the ring again.
- Let the ball cool down, and try passing it through the ring once more.
4. Conclusion: After heating, the metal ball expands and does not pass through the ring. Once the ball cools down, it contracts and passes through the ring easily. This experiment shows that metals expand on heating and contract on cooling. Different solids may expand and contract at different rates.

Expansion and contraction of a solid substance
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