What this calculator does
Linear thermal expansion works out how much a material lengthens or shortens with a temperature change. Enter your own figures above and the answer updates as you type: nothing is fixed in the code, so the result reflects exactly the numbers you supply.
The formula this calculator evaluates is printed under the tool and explained below, so you can check the working by hand or reuse it in a spreadsheet.
The formula
FormulaΔL = αL₀ΔT
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Original length (m) | A number, measured in m. Starts at 10. |
| Coefficient of linear expansion (steel ≈ 12×10⁻⁶) (1/°C) | A number, measured in 1/°C. Starts at 0.000012. |
| Temperature change (°C) | A number, measured in °C. Starts at 40. |
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How the answer changes with original length
Every other input is held at the calculator’s starting values while original length varies. Select any row to load that scenario into the calculator.