How to use the thermal expansion calculator
Calculate how much a solid expands when heated. Enter original length, material, temperature change in the fields above; the length change, new length are computed instantly and plotted on the chart so you can see how the answer changes.
Formula
Variables
- L0 — Original length (m)
- a — Material (10⁻⁶/K)
- dT — Temperature change (K)
Worked example
With original length = 10 m, material = Steel, temperature change = 40 K, the calculator gives length change ≈ 4.8 mm; new length ≈ 10.0048 m.
Frequently asked questions
What is the formula for the thermal expansion calculation?
Length change (mm) = L0 × a × 1e-6 × dT × 1000. New length (m) = L0+[Length change] / 1000. Here L0 is original length (m), a is material (10⁻⁶/K), dT is temperature change (K).
What inputs do I need for the thermal expansion calculator?
You need original length in m, material in 10⁻⁶/K, temperature change in K. Each field is pre-filled with a typical example so you can see how the result responds as you edit the numbers.
How do I use this calculator?
Type values into the input fields. Results and the chart update instantly. Use Reset to restore the example values, Copy results to paste them elsewhere, or Share to copy a link that preserves your inputs.
Is the result exact?
Calculations use standard formulas and double-precision arithmetic, then display about seven significant figures. Real-world measurements carry uncertainty, so treat results as estimates unless your inputs are exact.