Thermal expansion

Thermal expansion refers to the phenomenon in which an object's volume increases as its temperature rises. All substances, whether solid, liquid, or gas, expand when heated, but the rate of expansion differs from one substance to another. Gases in particular have a higher expansion rate than solids or liquids, so their volume changes greatly as the temperature rises. By contrast, solids have a smaller expansion rate than liquids or gases, so they tend to show less change in volume with temperature. This property of thermal expansion is also important in the production and storage of sake, where it affects temperature control and the choice of containers.