What effect does applying heat have on the materials in a bi-metal strip?

Applying heat to a bi-metal strip causes one side of the strip to expand more than the other. This happens because the two different metals that make up the strip have different coefficients of thermal expansion, meaning they expand at different rates when heated. As the temperature increases, the metal that expands more will cause the strip to bend toward the side that expands less.

This principle is used in various applications, such as thermostats and thermal sensors, where the bending movement is used to trigger mechanical actions or adjustments. The ability of the bi-metal strip to bend in response to temperature changes is a fundamental aspect of how it operates in these devices. Understanding thermal expansion is crucial for predicting how materials will behave under heat, especially in mixed-material constructions like a bi-metal strip.