Ring and Ball Apparatus
Product Code : SCL-H-11221
Quick answer: The Ring and Ball Apparatus is a qualitative classroom demonstration of thermal expansion and contraction in a solid. A ball that passes through its matching ring at room temperature is heated and no longer fits, then passes again once it cools. Lab Exports manufactures it in Delhi for schools and colleges.
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Experiment type | Qualitative classroom demonstration |
| Principle demonstrated | Thermal expansion and contraction of a solid |
| Main components | Ball and matching ring assembly |
| Category | Heat and thermodynamics laboratory equipment |
Material, dimensions and handle design are confirmed with the quotation; a burner or spirit lamp for heating should be ordered separately unless listed on the quote.
How the ring and ball demonstration is done
When a solid is heated its particles vibrate more strongly and sit slightly further apart on average, so every dimension of the object grows. The ring and ball apparatus makes this tiny change easy to see: the clearance between ball and ring is so small that a fraction of a millimetre of expansion is enough to stop the ball passing through.
- Place the apparatus on a stable, heat-resistant surface and let the ball and ring reach room temperature.
- Show that the unheated ball passes through the ring.
- Heat only the ball with a suitable controlled heat source.
- Test the heated ball against the ring: it no longer passes.
- Let the ball cool and show that it passes through again.
Asking the class what would happen if the ring were heated instead - the hole grows too - checks that students understand expansion as a change in every dimension, and leads into expansion gaps in bridges, rails and pipelines.
Key features
- Ball and matching ring make the effect of heating a solid visible
- Simple pass or no-pass comparison needs no calculation
- Shows contraction on cooling as well as expansion on heating
- Compact format for a laboratory bench or demonstration table
- Reusable for repeated teacher-led demonstrations
Documentation and supply
Most Lab Exports products carry a one-year manufacturer warranty.
Lab Exports manufactures the Ring and Ball Apparatus at its works in Laxmi Nagar, Delhi, and supplies it to schools and colleges in India and 60+ countries, handling the export documents for each shipment. More about the company is on the About Lab Exports page.
Related Heat products
- Two Stroke Petrol Engine (SCL-H-11211)
- Copper Calorimeter (SCL-H-11208)
- Two Stroke Diesel Engine (SCL-H-11192)
- Turbojet Engine Model (SCL-H-11186)
- Steam Engine Model (SCL-H-11271)
- Diesel Engine Model Four Stroke (SCL-H-11273)
The full range is in the Heat section of the Physics Lab range.
Frequently asked questions
What does the ring and ball apparatus demonstrate?
That a solid expands when heated and contracts when cooled: the heated ball will not pass through a ring it passed through when cold.
Is the ring and ball apparatus a measuring instrument?
No. It is a qualitative teaching aid for showing the effect; quantitative work on expansion is done with a linear expansion apparatus.
What is the price of the Ring and Ball Apparatus?
Prices are not published on the website. Add the Ring and Ball Apparatus to the Enquiry Cart with the Add To Cart button on this page, or email [email protected] with the house code SCL-H-11221 and the quantity, to receive a quotation.
Does Lab Exports manufacture the Ring and Ball Apparatus?
Yes. Lab Exports manufactures the Ring and Ball Apparatus at its works at 11/315, Lalita Park, Laxmi Nagar, Delhi 110092, under house code SCL-H-11221.
Request a quote
Email [email protected] with the house code SCL-H-11221 and the quantity, or add the Ring and Ball Apparatus to the Enquiry Cart with the Add To Cart button on this page. Tender buyers can also see the Tenders and OEM page.
