Dilatometry

a branch of physics that studies the dependence of the dimensional changes of bodies on external conditions, such as temperature, pressure, electric and magnetic fields, and ionizing radiation. Basically, dilatometry deals with the thermal expansion of bodies and its various anomalies (occurring, for example, during phase transitions). Instruments used in dilatometry are called dilatometers. Dilatometric methods are widely used in physics to study the properties of substances as well as in the study of materials.