The Eiffel Tower Gets Taller in the Summertime fact

The Eiffel Tower is often the subject of many curious claims. One such claim is that the Eiffel Tower gets taller during the summer. This article will examine the truth behind this fascinating statement and show how temperature changes can impact metal structures.

Claim: The Eiffel Tower grows about 6 inches taller during the summer

To determine the accuracy of this claim, we must consider the science behind the thermal expansion of metals. Like the Eiffel Tower, metal structures can expand and contract due to temperature changes.

The Eiffel Tower is primarily made of iron, with a linear coefficient of thermal expansion of approximately 11 x 10^-6 per degree Celsius (1). For every degree Celsius increase in temperature, the length of iron expands by 11 x 10^-6 times its original length.

To understand how much the Eiffel Tower grows during the summer, let us consider the average temperature differences between winter and summer in Paris. The average temperature in January, the coldest month, is about five °C (41°F), while in July, the hottest month, it is around 20°C (68°F) (2). This gives us a temperature difference of 15°C.

The Eiffel Tower stands 324 meters (1,063 feet) tall (3). With a 15°C temperature increase, the tower would expand by 324 meters x 11 x 10^-6 x 15°C ≈ 0.0534 meters or 53.4 millimeters (4).

53.4 millimeters is just over 2 inches. The Eiffel Tower DOES grow taller during the summer due to thermal expansion.