At certain temperature, $\operatorname{rod} \mathrm{A}$ and $\operatorname{rod} \mathrm{B}$ of different…

At certain temperature, $\operatorname{rod} \mathrm{A}$ and $\operatorname{rod} \mathrm{B}$ of different materials have lengths $L_A$ and $L_B$ respectively: Their coefficients of linear expansion are $\alpha_A$ and $\alpha_B$ respectively. It is observed that the difference between their length's remains constant at all temperatures. The ratio $\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{A}}: \mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{B}}$ is given by
  1. $\frac{\alpha_A}{\alpha_B}$
  2. $\frac{\alpha_B}{\alpha_A}$
  3. $\frac{\alpha_A+\alpha_B}{\alpha_A}$
  4. $\frac{\alpha_A+\alpha_B}{\alpha_B}$

Solution

Length of $\operatorname{rod} \mathrm{A}$ at temperature $\mathrm{t}=\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{A}}+l_{\mathrm{A}} \alpha_{\mathrm{A}} \Delta \mathrm{t}$ Length of $\operatorname{rod} \mathrm{B}$ at temperature $\mathrm{t}=\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{B}}+l_{\mathrm{B}} \alpha_{\mathrm{B}} \Delta \mathrm{t}$ Length of $\operatorname{rod} A-$ length of $\operatorname{rod} B$ $=\left(\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{A}}-\mathrm{L}_{\mathrm{B}}\right)+\left(l_{\mathrm{A}} \alpha_{\mathrm{A}}-l_{\mathrm{B}} \alpha_{\mathrm{B}}\right) \Delta \mathrm{t}$
For difference in the length to be constant, coefficient of $\Delta t$ must be zero. $\begin{array}{ll} \therefore & \quad l_{\mathrm{A}} \alpha_{\mathrm{A}}-l_{\mathrm{B}} \alpha_{\mathrm{B}}=0 \\ \therefore & l_{\mathrm{A}} \alpha_{\mathrm{A}}=l_{\mathrm{B}} \alpha_{\mathrm{B}} \\ \therefore & \frac{l_{\mathrm{A}}}{l_{\mathrm{B}}}=\frac{\alpha_{\mathrm{B}}}{\alpha_{\mathrm{A}}} \end{array}$

Asked in: MHT CET 2024 (09 May Shift 1)

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