PPolySim OS
For Educators · Thermal Expansion

Thermal Expansion for a semiconductor wafer

Built for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs. Simulate a semiconductor wafer live below — adjust the inputs and watch it respond, right in your browser.

Thermal ExpansionLive

Controls

Presets

Heat a material and it expands: ΔL = α·L·ΔT, where α is the coefficient of linear expansion. Area grows at twice that rate and volume at three times. It is why bridges have expansion joints, why rails buckle in heat, and why Invar — with almost zero expansion — is prized for precision instruments.

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Data Inspector

α23 µm/m·°C
Length change11.5 mm
Area change0.230 m²
Volume change3.450 m³

Governing equation

Reading this result: Heating 10 m of Aluminum by 50°C stretches it about 11.5 mm; area and volume grow 2× and 3× as fast.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this good for educators?
Yes — this version of "Thermal Expansion for a semiconductor wafer" is framed for educators teaching it to a class. Drop a live demo into a lecture or assign it as a shareable link — no lab installs.
Do I need to install anything?
No. It runs in any modern browser, free, with no account required.