The temperature coefficient is the relative change of a physical property when the temperature is changed by 1 Kelvin.
In the following formula, let R be the physical property to be measured and T be the temperature at which the property is measured. T0 is the reference temperature, and ΔT is the difference between T and T0. Finally, α is the (linear) temperature coefficient. Given these definitions, the physical property is:
Here α has the dimensions of an inverse temperature (1/K or K−1).
This equation is linear with respect to temperature. For quantities that vary polynomially or logarithmically with temperature, it may be possible to calculate a temperature coefficient that is a useful approximation for a certain range of temperatures. For quantities that vary exponentially with temperature, such as the rate of a chemical reaction, any temperature coefficient would be valid only over a very small temperature range.
Different temperature coefficients are specified for various applications, including nuclear, electrical and magnetic.
Read more about Temperature Coefficient: Negative Temperature Coefficient, Reversible Temperature Coefficient, Temperature Coefficient of Electrical Resistance, Coefficient of Thermal Expansion, Temperature Coefficient of Elasticity, Temperature Coefficient of Reactivity, Units
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