How much will a 20-foot steel member elongate when heated to 1000 degrees?

To determine how much a 20-foot steel member will elongate when heated to 1000 degrees, one must consider the thermal expansion properties of steel. Steel expands when heated due to the increased energy of its atoms, causing them to move more vigorously and occupy more space.

The coefficient of linear expansion for steel is approximately 0.00000651 per degree Fahrenheit. To calculate the total elongation, the formula used is:

Elongation = Original Length × Coefficient of Linear Expansion × Temperature Change

In this case, the original length is 20 feet, or 240 inches (since there are 12 inches in a foot). Assuming the temperature change is from room temperature (around 70 degrees Fahrenheit) to 1000 degrees, the temperature change would be 1000 - 70 = 930 degrees Fahrenheit.

Applying the numbers into the formula:

Elongation = 240 inches × 0.00000651 (coefficient) × 930 (temperature change)

This results in an elongation of approximately 1.7 inches. Therefore, the correct answer reflects the calculated elongation based on the properties of steel and the temperature change involved. This serves as an important reminder of the physical behavior of materials under varying thermal