Thermal Stress
When an object is supplied with a finite amount of heat, the atom presents in the lattice structure starts agitating, and they tend to leave their stable position and starts to oscillate about their mean position. Due to the inter-atomic forces of attraction the neighbouring atoms also starts vibrating with the frequency equal (ideal case) or less (non-ideal case) than that of the previous atom. This phenomenon leads the transfer of heat. There are many processes by which an abject can be heated, but the mode of transfer of heat inside a body remains same. Due to this agitation, the body tries to undergo either a linear, surface or volumetric expansion depending upon the dimensions we choose. Under this expansion, whenever the body is subjected to and hindrance, stresses are developed and this stress is called thermal stress . Consider the following situation: Body absorbing heat Suppose a block is placed upon a smooth frictional-less surface and heat is being tr...