Equations
Linear thermal expansion
Thermodynamics · id linear_expansion
\Delta L = \alpha L_0 \Delta T
| Symbol | Quantity | Unit | Meaning | Usual range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
dL | change in length | m | Increase in length | 0 to 100 |
alpha | expansion coefficient | 1/K | Fractional length change per kelvin | 1e-07 to 0.001 |
L0 | original length | m | Length before heating | 0.001 to 100000 |
dT | temperature change | K | Rise in temperature | 0 to 2000 |
Assumptions
- Small temperature change
- Coefficient constant over the range
Valid when
- No extra conditions.
Found by
Questions with these words retrieve this equation: thermal expansion, expand, bridge, rail, heat, length change, steel.
Source
OpenStax University Physics Volume 2, Chapter 1 (reference; entry written by the project). License: MIT. Entry confidence: 0.98.