What is a typical value of α for steel in per Kelvin?

What is a typical value of α for steel in per Kelvin?

• A. 5×10^-6 /K
• B. 12×10^-6 /K
• C. 50×10^-6 /K
• D. 100×10^-6 /K

Answer: (B)

The concept here is how much a material expands with temperature, described by the linear coefficient of thermal expansion. For steel, this coefficient is typically about 12×10^-6 per kelvin. That means a 1-meter length would grow by roughly 12 micrometers for every 1 K increase in temperature. This value sits in the common range for steels at room temperature, making 12×10^-6 /K a representative figure for practical calculations. Values as small as 5×10^-6 /K are too low for steel, while 50×10^-6 /K and 100×10^-6 /K would indicate much greater expansion than steel usually shows at room temperature.

The concept here is how much a material expands with temperature, described by the linear coefficient of thermal expansion. For steel, this coefficient is typically about 12×10^-6 per kelvin. That means a 1-meter length would grow by roughly 12 micrometers for every 1 K increase in temperature. This value sits in the common range for steels at room temperature, making 12×10^-6 /K a representative figure for practical calculations. Values as small as 5×10^-6 /K are too low for steel, while 50×10^-6 /K and 100×10^-6 /K would indicate much greater expansion than steel usually shows at room temperature.