Question

Advantages of thermal expansion

Answer 1

Answer:

solved

Explanation:

Advantage: Press fits. If objects didn't expand thermally, we would have a more difficult time creating press fits. You can heat up one object, cool the other, and put them into each other. When they reach thermal equilibrium it creates a tight fit that's difficult to separate.

Also, bimetallic strips. This is how old thermostats used to work. You'd have a coiled bimetallic strip with a small bulb of mercury at the end. When the strip expanded too much, the mercury in the bulb would tip to trip a switch, turning on the air conditioning.

Disadvantage: civil engineering. Particularly railroads and bridges. You need to design both with occasional gaps, otherwise the rails and bridge will buckle.

If you need to use different materials, you need to be aware about how each will expand or contract so you avoid additional stresses in your designs.