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Heat is just vibrations of the atoms of that substance. So when you heat up a substance, it's atoms vibrate faster and more energetically. As they vibrate, the atoms bump and jostle each other, which pushes each apart from the others, causing the entire substance to expand slightly. Cooling a substance makes the atoms 'lazy', less energetic, and they dont bump each other as much. This allows them to pack more tightly together, thus the substance shrinks.

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βˆ™ 14y ago
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βˆ™ 7mo ago

When a substance is cooled, the particles within it lose energy and move slower, causing them to come closer together. This decrease in particle movement results in less distance between the particles, leading to contraction or a decrease in volume. Additionally, when a substance cools, the average kinetic energy of the particles decreases, reducing the pressure they exert on the walls of the container and causing the substance to contract.

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Q: Why do substances contract when cooled?
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Related questions

Do metals expand when they are cooled?

No, typically metals contract when they are cooled. This is because cooling slows down the movement of atoms, causing them to come closer together, which results in the metal contracting.


Do cooled substances expand?

No, cooled substances typically contract or shrink in volume due to a decrease in temperature causing the particles to move more slowly and come closer together. This is known as thermal contraction.


Which of the two metals contract more when cooled?

Generally, all metals contract when cooled. However, the rate at which they contract depends on their coefficient of thermal expansion. In general, materials with higher coefficients of thermal expansion will contract more when cooled.


When a substance is cooled down it usually expands true or false?

False. Most substances contract or shrink when they are cooled down because cooling reduces the kinetic energy of the particles in the substance, causing them to move closer together.


Do all solids contract then cooled?

No


As more substances are cooled they?

They are solid


Does gases contract when heated?

No, gasses expand when heated and contract when cooled.


Do liquides contract when heated?

Liquids expand when heated and contract when cooled.


What are substances that expand and contract called?

Materials that expand and contract in response to changes in temperature are typically referred to as thermal expansion materials. These materials expand when heated and contract when cooled, which can be useful in various applications such as in thermostats, bimetallic strips, and expansion joints.


What objects expands when its cold?

Most substances will contract when the temperature decreases. One well-known exception is water; between 4°C and 0°C it will expand if it is cooled down.


Can glass contract?

Yes, glass can contract when subjected to cold temperatures, causing it to slightly shrink in size. This process is known as thermal contraction and is a characteristic property of materials like glass.


What is it called when different substances expand by different amounts when heated?

This characteristic is known as thermal expansion. Different substances have different coefficients of thermal expansion, which determine how much they expand when heated and contract when cooled.