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This model demonstrates an apparatus used to illustrate the concept of thermal expansion, consisting of a captive brass ball attached to a spring and a brass ring mounted on a stand. At room temperature, the brass ball fits perfectly through the hole in the ring. However, when the ball is heated, or the ring is cooled, the ball will no longer fit through the ring. Thermal expansion is an important consideration in engineering, particularly in the construction of railways, bridges and houses, where materials expand slightly as they heat up. In this demonstration, heating the brass ball causes it to expand to the point where it no longer passes through the ring.
