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THERMAL EXPANSION

     Most solid materials expand upon heating and contract when cooled. The change in length with temperature for a solid material may be expressed as follows:

 (l_f – l_o)/ l_o =a_l (T_f – T_o)

or Δ l / l_o =a_l ΔT

     Where l_o and l_f represent, respectively, initial and final length with the temperature change from T_o to T_f . The parameter a_l is called the linear coefficient of thermal expansion; it is a material property that is indicative of the extent to which a material expands upon heating, and has units of reciprocal temperature [(^oC)^-1 or (^oF)^-1].

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