Thermal Properties in Materials Engineering

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions related to thermal properties in materials engineering.

Heat Capacity

The energy required to increase the temperature of a material.

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)

A measure of how much a material expands per unit length for a given rise in temperature.

Thermal Conductivity

The ability of a material to conduct heat, influenced by atomic vibrations and free electrons.

Phonons

Quanta of vibrational energy in a solid that contribute to thermal energy transfer.

Thermal Stress

Stresses induced in a body due to changes in temperature.

Bimetal Strip

A strip made from two metals bonded together, which expands at different rates when heated.

Specific Heat

The heat capacity per unit mass, indicating the energy needed to raise the temperature of one kilogram by one degree Celsius.

Thermal Shock Resistance

The ability of a material to withstand rapid temperature changes without cracking.

Debye Temperature

A temperature that characterizes the phonon spectrum of a solid and influences heat capacity at low temperatures.

Wiedemann-Franz Law

The relationship between thermal and electrical conductivity in metals, indicating that both are related to free electrons.