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ExamsJEE AdvancedPhysics

A steel tape correctly measures the length of a copper rod as 90.00 cm when both are at 10 deg C (the calibration temperature). When both are heated to 30 deg C, the tape records the length of the rod as 90.0x cm. Find the digit x. (Given: alpha_copper = 1.7 * 10⁻⁵ / deg C, alpha_steel = 1.2 * 10⁻⁵ / deg C)

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4

Correct answer: 1

Solution

The copper rod expands by alpha_c*L*dT while the steel tape's scale also expands by alphaₛ*L*dT, so the tape reading increases by (alpha_c - alphaₛ)*L*dT = 0.5e-5 * 90 * 20 = 0.009 cm, making the reading 90.009 cm ≈ 90.01 cm, giving x = 1.

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