Thermal Expansion Converter
Quick answer: Choose a starting unit and a target unit, then enter a value. Common conversions: 1 1/K = 0.5555556 1/°F; 1 1/K = 1,000,000 ppm/°C; 1 1/K = 555,555.6 ppm/°F. This converter covers 6 thermal expansion units.
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Use the Thermal Expansion Converter
Thermal Expansion formula and what each symbol means
target = value × (factor of starting unit ÷ factor of target unit), where each factor is the unit value in 1/K.
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| value | The number you want to convert |
| factor | The unit’s size expressed in the base unit (1/K) |
Thermal Expansion examples
1/K to 1/°F
10 1/K = 5.555556 1/°F.
1/K to ppm/°C
10 1/K = 10,000,000 ppm/°C.
1/K to ppm/°F
10 1/K = 5,555,556 ppm/°F.
How to calculate Thermal Expansion step by step
- Choose the starting unit and the target unit.
- Enter your value.
- Read the converted value, plus the conversion factor in both directions.
Popular thermal expansion conversions
- Per Kelvin to Per Fahrenheit converter
- Per Kelvin to ppm per °C converter
- Per Kelvin to ppm per °F converter
- Per Fahrenheit to Per Kelvin converter
- Per Fahrenheit to ppm per °C converter
- Per Fahrenheit to ppm per °F converter
- ppm per °C to Per Kelvin converter
- ppm per °C to Per Fahrenheit converter
- ppm per °C to ppm per °F converter
- ppm per °F to Per Kelvin converter
- ppm per °F to Per Fahrenheit converter
- ppm per °F to ppm per °C converter
How to read your Thermal Expansion result
The coefficient of linear thermal expansion is the fractional change in length per degree. A per-kelvin value equals the per-Celsius value, while a per-Fahrenheit value is 5/9 as large. Metals are typically in the range of roughly 10 to 25 ppm/°C, with steel near 12 and aluminium near 23.
| UNIT | SYMBOL | EQUALS | VALUE OF 1 1/K |
|---|---|---|---|
| Per kelvin | 1/K | 1 1/K = 1 1/K | 1 1/K |
| Per degree Celsius | 1/°C | 1 1/°C = 1 1/K | 1 1/°C |
| Per degree Fahrenheit | 1/°F | 1 1/°F = 1.8 1/K | 0.5555556 1/°F |
| Parts per million per kelvin | ppm/K | 1 ppm/K = 0.000001 1/K | 1,000,000 ppm/K |
| Parts per million per °C | ppm/°C | 1 ppm/°C = 0.000001 1/K | 1,000,000 ppm/°C |
| Parts per million per °F | ppm/°F | 1 ppm/°F = 0.0000018 1/K | 555,555.6 ppm/°F |
Common mistakes when calculating Thermal Expansion
- Mixing per-°C and per-°F values for the same material: the per-°F number is 5/9 of the per-°C number.
- Forgetting that ppm means ×10⁻⁶.
- Using a linear coefficient for volume expansion, which is roughly three times larger for solids.
Thermal Expansion FAQ
Is 1/K the same as 1/°C?
Yes. A kelvin and a Celsius degree are the same size, so the coefficients are equal.
How many 1/K is 1 ppm/°C?
1 ppm/°C is exactly 1×10⁻⁶ per kelvin.
Why is 1/°F different from 1/K?
A Fahrenheit degree is smaller than a kelvin, so a per-°F coefficient is smaller by a factor of 1.8.
What is the base unit for thermal expansion?
This converter uses per kelvin (1/K) as the common base unit: every value is first converted to it and then to the target unit.
How do I convert between two thermal expansion units?
Choose the starting and target units, enter the value and read the result. By hand: convert to the base unit with the table, then divide by the target unit factor.
How many Per Fahrenheit are in 1 per kelvin?
1 1/K = 0.5555556 1/°F.
How many ppm per °C are in 1 per kelvin?
1 1/K = 1,000,000 ppm/°C.
How many ppm per °F are in 1 per kelvin?
1 1/K = 555,555.6 ppm/°F.
Which thermal expansion units does this converter support?
It covers 6 units: per kelvin (1/K), Per degree Celsius (1/°C), Per degree Fahrenheit (1/°F), parts per million per kelvin (ppm/K), Parts per million per °C (ppm/°C), Parts per million per °F (ppm/°F).
How accurate is the thermal expansion converter?
Results are calculated at full double precision and shown to about 8 significant figures. Round the answer to the precision of your original measurement; a result cannot be more accurate than the number you started with.
More in Thermal Expansion converters
- Per Fahrenheit to Per Kelvin Converter
- ppm per °F to ppm per °C Converter
- Per Fahrenheit to ppm per °C Converter
- ppm per °F to Per Kelvin Converter
- Per Fahrenheit to ppm per °F Converter
- ppm per °F to Per Fahrenheit Converter
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Method, review and disclaimer
Edited by: Hemant Kumar and Anjita Rai, founders of ToolsVault (SEO and content professional, not a licensed adviser). Method: this tool runs in your browser using the formula shown on this page; the numbers you enter are not sent to our servers. Sources: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8: conversion factors, BIPM: the International System of Units (SI)