 Differential length comparator

An instrument for comparing two lengths through their difference. Suppose a test rod and reference both have length $L_0$ at temperature $T_0$, and have constant linear thermal expansion coefficients ${\alpha }_s$ and ${\alpha }_r$ over a small interval. Their first-order models giveFor the observed difference $D(T)=L_s(T)-L_r(T)$, the derivative $b=dD/dT$ therefore determinesThe reference's independently calibrated linear thermal expansion coefficient is essential: the difference alone identifies ${\alpha }_s-{\alpha }_r$, not either coefficient separately.

For an original numerical example, stipulate $L_0=1.00\mathrm{m}$, ${\alpha }_s=1.0\times 10^{-6}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$ and ${\alpha }_r=9.0\times 10^{-6}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$. Heating both by $10\mathrm{K}$ gives sample and reference increases of $10\mu \mathrm{m}$ and $90\mu \mathrm{m}$. Thus the sample expands even though its measured difference decreases by $80\mu \mathrm{m}$. These are chosen model parameters, not measured values for a historical Invar specimen or reference.

If ${\alpha }_r$ and $b$ have independent standard uncertainties $0.2\times 10^{-6}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$ and $0.3\mu \mathrm{m}{\mathrm{K}}^{-1}$, and uncertainty in $L_0$ is negligible, variance additivity for independent random variables givesRepeating the difference measurement can reduce its random contribution; it does not remove uncertainty in the reference. A temperature gradient or unequal rod temperatures also breaks the common-temperature model and can introduce a systematic error.