<Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in shape, area, and volume in response to a change in temperature . </P> <P> Temperature is a monotonic function of the average molecular kinetic energy of a substance . When a substance is heated, the kinetic energy of its molecules increases . Thus, the molecules begin vibrating / moving more and usually maintain a greater average separation . Materials which contract with increasing temperature are unusual; this effect is limited in size, and only occurs within limited temperature ranges (see examples below). The relative expansion (also called strain) divided by the change in temperature is called the material's coefficient of thermal expansion and generally varies with temperature . </P> <P> If an equation of state is available, it can be used to predict the values of the thermal expansion at all the required temperatures and pressures, along with many other state functions . </P>

What does a high coefficient of thermal expansion mean
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