Thermal contraction occurs when an object shrinks and becomes smaller due to a change in the object’s temperature.
In physics, thermal contraction is a decrease in a material’s volume when its temperature decreases. When the temperature drops, atoms calm down and shrink. They aren’t bouncing so aggressively and don’t need that much space to coexist. Therefore, the atoms start moving slower and closer as they lose heat energy. When they shrink, the boundaries of the material shrink. What ends up happening is the material itself contracts. Solids, liquids, and gases all contract when cooled.
If we hold a very hot glass tumbler under cold water, it cracks. This is because the outer surface of the glass comes in direct contact with cold water and contracts more as compared to the inner surface.
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