CTE Coefficient of Thermal Expansion Calculator

Formula

The formula to calculate the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion is:

\[ \alpha = \frac{L_2 - L_1}{T_2 - T_1} \]

Where:

\(\alpha\) is the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)
\(L_2\) is the final length of the object after a temperature change
\(L_1\) is the initial length of the object before the temperature change
\(T_2\) is the final temperature
\(T_1\) is the initial temperature

What is the Coefficient of Thermal Expansion?

The coefficient of thermal expansion is a numerical value that quantifies how much a material expands or contracts when its temperature changes. It represents the fractional change in length, area, or volume of a material per unit change in temperature.

Example Calculation

Let's assume the following values:

Initial Length (L1) = 1.0 m
Final Length (L2) = 1.002 m
Initial Temperature (T1) = 20 °C
Final Temperature (T2) = 100 °C

Using the formula:

\[ \alpha = \frac{1.002 - 1.0}{100 - 20} \approx 2.50 \times 10^{-5} \, \text{1/°C} \]

The Coefficient of Thermal Expansion is approximately \(2.50 \times 10^{-5} \, \text{1/°C}\).