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Which expands quicker: glass or plastic?

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The short answer is plastic (polymers) The coefficient of thermal expansion for plastics are generally much higher than glass. read more

This has to do with thermal coefficients of expansion, which basically tell you how materials respond to heat- higher values of this coefficient mean quicker expansion on heating and analogously, quicker contraction on cooling. Most polymers have greater values of thermal expansion coefficients than most glasses. read more

So, subjected to the same change in temperature, a plastic will generally expand more (or contract more) than a metal. If you intentionally said "faster" because you're interested in the rate of expansion, then thermal conductivity comes into play. read more

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