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There is the Kinetic theory of matter. All matter is made up of atoms and molecules that are constantly moving.

When heat is added to a substance, the molecules and atoms vibrate faster. As atoms vibrate faster, the space between atoms increases. The motion and spacing of the particles determines the state of matter of the substance. The end result of increased molecular motion is that the object expands and takes up more space.

Mass of the object remains the same, however. Solids, liquids and gases all expand when heat is added. When heat leaves all substances, the molecules vibrate slower. The atoms can get closer which results in the matter contracting. Again, the mass is not changed.

Best regards, Aleh Aprelenka

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Q: Why does heating a substance causes molecules to expand?
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Related questions

What causes a substance to expand?

An increase in temperature of the substance causes it to expand.


Why does expansion happen?

Expansion occurs when a substance is heated. The energy given to the molecules in the substance causes them to vibrate and so they get pushed further apart, causing the substance to expand.


Heating causes an object to?

expand


How the common thermometer work by expansion?

Molecules in any substance will expand. Colder molecules will come closer together, and contract. While warmer will do the exact opposite. They will move faster and spread out due to the change in its energy( heat) and that causes the liquid to expand. In this case, upward in the tube giving you your temperature (:


Which is more stressful on materials cooling or heating?

Not exactly sure what you mean by "stressful"...Cooling causes an object to contract and heating causes an object to expand. The amount of contraction/expansion depends on the situation.


Why do substance s expand when energy is added to them as heat?

When heat is added to a system, it increases the kinetic energy of the molecules. Increased K.E in system causes molecules to move further away from each other. This causes system to increase in volume. Significant increase in volume might not occur but at microscopic level it definitely changes.


Why items expand when they are heated?

When things are heated, the heat causes the molecules to move faster and that forces them farther apart, causing the item to expand.


Do all objects expand when heated?

All objects do not expand on heating.....Only metals expand on heating.....non metals like wood,plastic,etc do not expand on heating.


Does the length of spaghetti increase after boiling?

Yes about 1 inch. That's because the spaghetti originally is contracted and hard. And heating normally expands a substance, so when the spaghetti is boiled, the heat supplied causes it to expand a little.


What makes a balloon pop with a heat source?

when heated, molecules get farther away from eachother, causing the balloon to expand. once the balloon reaches its maximum capacity, further heating will cause the molecules to expand more than the balloon can contain and it will pop.


Why do gases expand on heating?

When particles are heated up they gain energy. This causes them to move more and spread out. This causes the volume to increase and the density to decrease.


What is the working principle of a liquid in glass thermometer?

Liquids expands on heating and contracts om cooling , when it expands it gives the reading