PHYSICS RESOURCES DATABASE

THERMAL PROPERTIES

EXPANSION

temperature coefficient of linear expansion a = (1/L0)(D L/D T)

temperature coefficient of volume expansion b = (1/V0)(D V/D T)  

Material

a (K-1) ´ 10-6

(~ 20 ° C)

b (K-1) ´ 10-6

(~ 20 °C)

Aluminum

25

72

asphalt

 

~ 600

Brass (yellow)

19

56

Brick

10

 

Diamond

1

 

Cement & concrete

10-14

~ 36

Copper

17

 

Glass (ordinary)

9-12

~ 26

Glass (pyrex)

3

9

Glass (vycor)

0.08

 

glycerin

 

505

Gold

13

 

Granite

8

 

Hard rubber

80

 

Iron (soft)

9-12

36

Lead

29

87

Nylon (molded)

81

 

Paraffin

130

590

Platinum

9

11

Porcelain

4

 

Quartz (fused)

0.55

1.2

Steel (structural)

12

36

Steel (stainless)

17

 

turpentine

 

973

Water

 

207

 

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