Thermal Expansion Calculator

Enter value and click on calculate. Result will be displayed.

L= α × L1 ( T2 - T1 )
L = Linear Expansion
L1 = Initial Length
α = Coefficient of Linear Expansion of the Material
T1 = Initial Temperature
T2 = Final Temperature

Enter your values:

Initial Length:
m
Initial Temperature:
°C
Final Temperature:
°C
Coefficient of Linear Expansion of the Material:
10-6°C-1

Result:

Linear Expansion:
10-6m
Thermal Expansion Calculator

Through solids, liquids and gases there are changes in size, temperature changes, and pressure remains constant.

During heat transfer, it is the change in energy stored in the interatomic bonds between molecules. As the stored energy increases, so does the bond length of the molecule. Therefore, a solid generally expands in response to heating and contracts on cooling; this response to changes in air temperature is expressed as its coefficient of thermal expansion.

The coefficient of thermal expansion is a thermodynamic property of matter. It involves linear dimensional changes in a material as a result of changes in temperature. It is the rate of length change at each degree of temperature change.

Most solids expand when heated. The reason is that this gives the atoms more room to bounce around with large amounts of kinetic energy already in high temperature conditions. The effect of thermal expansion is relatively small and approximately linear at absolute temperature.

Most materials undergo thermal expansion: they tend to expand when heated and contract when cooled. Therefore, bridge expansion joints are constructed of metal, so they can expand and contract causing structural breakage to the bridge's overall structure. Other machines and structures also have built-in protection against the hazards of thermal expansion. But thermal expansion can also be beneficial, making thermometers and thermostats work.
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