What does a higher thermal expansion coefficient mean?

This coefficient is called the coefficient of thermal expansion and is used to predict the growth of materials in response to a known temperature change. The higher a coefficient of thermal expansion a material has, the more it will expand in reaction to being heated.

How does coefficient of thermal expansion change with temperature?

When a substance is heated, its constituent particles begin moving more, thus maintaining a greater average separation with their neighboring particles. The degree of expansion divided by the change in temperature is called the material’s coefficient of thermal expansion; it generally varies with temperature.

Does coefficient of expansion depend on temperature?

No. It depends on the material. The amount of expansion depends on the coefficient, the temperature difference and the original length. The coefficient only depends on the material, and to a smaller extent, the absolute temperature.

Why materials with higher bond strength have lower coefficients of thermal expansion?

1-2) The coefficient of thermal expansion is inversely proportional to the bond strength of the material: and hence to the melting point of the material. Hence, Metals with high melting points (strong bonding) have low thermal expansion coefficients.

Is thermal expansion coefficient constant?

The coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) refers to the rate at which a material expands with increase in temperature. More specifically, this coefficient is determined at constant pressure and without a phase change, i.e. the material is expected to still be in its solid or fluid form.

Why do different materials have different coefficients of thermal expansion?

In a solid or liquid, there is a dynamic balance between the cohesive forces holding the atoms or molecules together and the conditions created by temperature; higher temperatures imply greater distance between atoms. Different materials have different bonding forces and therefore different expansion coefficients.