Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)
Definition
A material property indicating how much a material expands per unit length per degree of temperature change, denoted α. Units are 10⁻⁶/°C (ppm/°C). Linear expansion is calculated as ΔL = α × L₀ × ΔT.
Practical Note
Steel: α ≈ 12×10⁻⁶/°C. Aluminum: α ≈ 23×10⁻⁶/°C. Invar: α ≈ 1.2×10⁻⁶/°C. Plastics have much higher CTE (50-150×10⁻⁶/°C). Consider CTE mismatch when joining dissimilar materials.
Related Calculators
🌡️Thermal Expansion Calculator
Calculate dimensional changes due to temperature variation using linear thermal expansion. Includes thermal stress calculation for constrained members and material CTE database.
🌡️Heat Transfer Calculator
Calculate heat transfer rate through walls and materials using conduction. Determine R-value, U-value, and temperature distribution.