Question

a clock whose pendulum makes one vibration in 2 seconds is correct at 25 degrees Celsius. the pendulum shaft is of steel and its mass may be neglected compared with that of the bob.

a) What is the fractional change in length of the shaft when it is cooled to 15 degrees Celsius?

b) How many seconds per day will the clock gain or lose at 15 degrees Celsius?

Answer 1

Note - please read carefully.... The coefficient of expansion for steel on some websites and textbooks is 1.25e-5 and in some text books it is given as 1.3e-5 .... As you have not provided the valev in the question, I have taken the coefficient as 1.25e-5 ...,...if you want to use 1.3e-5 then you can do so...the method will always be the same....for a hint, I have calculated both parts for coefficient as 1.3e-5 also....the fractional change in length will be - 1.3e-4 and gain in seconds per day will be around 5.6 seconds per day.

Here is the solution for coefficient as 1.25e-5