2006-08-01 03:23:41 · 2 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Physics
You should choose the steel tape measure, because steel has a lower coefficient of thermal expansion.
The coefficient of (linear) thermal expansion for a material describes how much the length of a material changes when its temperature is increased or decreased by a certain amount.
With the greater coefficient of thermal expansion, the aluminium tape measure will vary in its length more, and hence be less accurate as a measuring device, as the ambient temperature changes throughout the year.
2006-08-01 04:02:05 · answer #1 · answered by Stavros 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Both will not be accurate due to difference in temperature. Also depends upon what is the allowable tolerance. May be you will be able to correct the results for the expansion. Then materiel doesnt matter
2006-08-01 03:30:30 · answer #2 · answered by Dr M 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋