Due to thermal expansion of its iron, ____ can grow taller by up to 15 centimeters during the summer.
The iron structure of the Eiffel Tower isn't a fixed height; it changes based on the temperature due to a scientific phenomenon.
Thermal Expansion:
- 🌡️ When the sun heats the iron, the kinetic energy of the atoms increases, causing the metal to expand and take up more space
- 📏 This thermal expansion can cause the tower to grow by about 15 centimeters (6 inches) during hot summer days
Bending Away from the Sun:
- ☀️ Because the sun only hits one side of the tower at a time, that side expands more than the shaded side
- 🔄 This uneven expansion causes the top of the tower to actually tilt or bend slightly away from the sun (up to 15 cm)