About Thermal Expansion Converter

Our thermal expansion converter tool helps you convert between different units of thermal expansion coefficient quickly and accurately. Thermal expansion coefficient is a measure of how much a material expands or contracts with temperature changes and is essential in engineering, construction, and material science.

Common Use Cases

• Engineering Design: Convert between different temperature scale units for thermal expansion calculations
• Construction: Work with thermal expansion coefficients for building materials and structures
• Material Science: Convert units for thermal property characterization and analysis
• Manufacturing: Use appropriate units for precision engineering and tolerance calculations

What is Thermal Expansion?

Thermal expansion is the tendency of matter to change in volume, area, and/or length in response to a change in temperature. The thermal expansion coefficient (α) quantifies this change and is defined as the fractional change in length per unit temperature change.

Key Applications

• Structural Engineering: Account for thermal expansion in bridges, buildings, and pipelines
• Precision Engineering: Design components with appropriate thermal expansion considerations
• Electronics: Manage thermal expansion in circuit boards and semiconductor devices
• Automotive: Design engine components and body panels with thermal expansion in mind

Common Thermal Expansion Coefficients

• Aluminum: ~23 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹
• Steel: ~12 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹
• Copper: ~17 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹
• Glass: ~9 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹
• Concrete: ~12 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹
• Wood: ~3-30 × 10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ (varies by direction)

Temperature Scale Relationships

The thermal expansion coefficient can be expressed in different temperature scales:

• Kelvin and Celsius: 1 K⁻¹ = 1 °C⁻¹ (same magnitude)
• Fahrenheit and Rankine: 1 °F⁻¹ = 1 °R⁻¹ = 1.8 K⁻¹