Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE)

The Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) measures how much a material's size changes when it’s heated or cooled. Specifically, it indicates the rate at which the material expands per degree of temperature increase. Different materials have different CTE values; for example, metals generally expand more than ceramics. Understanding CTE is important in engineering to ensure that components fit together properly across temperature changes, preventing damage or failure. Essentially, CTE helps predict and manage how materials will behave when exposed to varying temperatures in real-world applications.