Key Words to Know Better about Adhesive (7) -- Mechanical

13. Linear Expansion Coefficient

Linear expansion is a phenomenon in physics where a material expands or contracts in response to changes in temperature. Here is a list of some common materials and their coefficients of linear expansion:

1. Aluminum: 22.2 x 10^-6 per °C

2. Copper: 16.6 x 10^-6 per °C

3. Steel: 11.7 x 10^-6 per °C

4. Brass: 19 x 10^-6 per °C

5. Concrete: 10 x 10^-6 per °C

6. Glass: 9 x 10^-6 per °C

7. Iron: 12 x 10^-6 per °C

8. PVC (Polyvinyl Chloride): 57 x 10^-6 per °C

9. Rubber: 150 x 10^-6 per °C

10. Water: 207 x 10^-6 per °C

These values represent the change in length per degree Celsius of temperature change.

The linear expansion coefficient, also known as the coefficient of linear expansion or the thermal expansion coefficient, is a measure of how much a material expands or contracts in response to a change in temperature. It is typically denoted by the symbol α (alpha) and has units of per degree Celsius (or per Kelvin).

The linear expansion coefficient is calculated as the fractional change in length (ΔL / L) divided by the change in temperature (ΔT). It represents the amount of expansion or contraction per unit length for each degree of temperature change.

Mathematically, it is expressed as:

α = (ΔL / L) / ΔT

where:

α: Linear expansion coefficient

ΔL: Change in length

L: Initial length

ΔT: Change in temperature

The linear expansion coefficient varies depending on the material and can be found in material property tables for specific substances.