Materials / Compare
Aluminum 7050-T7451 vs. Glass
Compare Aluminum 7050-T7451 vs. Glass strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA sample part to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 469MPasourcetypical, longitudinal, 0.2% offset | not given (tensile used) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 524MPasourcetypical, longitudinal | 41MPasourcetypical mean surface tensile stress at fracture (MOR), 60 s load, weathered, 50% breakage probability |
| Flexural strength | not sourced | 41MPasourcemean MOR (same value as tensile) |
| Elongation at break | 11%sourcetypical, longitudinal | not sourced |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 70.3GPasourcetypical | 72GPasourcetypical |
| Density | 2,830kg/m³sourcenominal | 2,500kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 166kN·m/kg10.1x higher | 16.4kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 24.8MN·m/kg | 28.8MN·m/kg16% higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.33sourcetypical (handbook physical constant) | 0.22sourcetypical |
| Shear modulus | 26.4GPa | 29.5GPa12% stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 68.9GPa | 42.9GPa |
| Speed of sound | 4,984m/s | 5,367m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 157W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 0.937W/m·Ksourcetypical at 75 F |
| Thermal expansion | 23.5µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-100 °C | 8.3µm/m·Ksourcetypical, 75-575 F |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 118µm growth | 41.5µm growth2.83x less |
| Specific heat | 860J/kg·Ksourcetypical, at 100 °C | 880J/kg·Ksourcetypical at 75 F |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 64.5mm²/s151x faster | 0.426mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 29,862W/m596x more resistant | 50.1W/m |
| Melting point | 524–635°Csourcemelting range | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 511°Csourcestrain point (ASTM C336) - stress-relaxation onset, not a rated service limit |
| Values for | 7050-T7451 plate, Kaiser Aluminum sheet, coil & plate typical datasheet (longitudinal); Poisson from MIL-HDBK-5J | Annealed soda-lime-silica float glass, Pilkington North America Technical Bulletin ATS-129 (04/2025) |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Aluminum 7050-T7451 stronger than Glass?
Aluminum 7050-T7451 is stronger: its yield strength is 469 MPa against tensile strength 41 MPa for Glass (11.4x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Glass?
Glass is lighter: 2,500 kg/m³ against 2,830 kg/m³ for Aluminum 7050-T7451.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Glass?
Glass is stiffer: Young's modulus 72 GPa against 70.3 GPa for Aluminum 7050-T7451, so the same part in Glass deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Glass?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 7050-T7451 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Glass is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Aluminum 7050-T7451 | Glass |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 16% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 15% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 14% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 10.1x heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 4.48x heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 2.99x heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 7050-T7451 or Glass?
Aluminum 7050-T7451 conducts heat better: 157 W/m·K against 0.937 W/m·K for Glass.
Which expands less with temperature?
Glass expands less: 8.3 µm/m·K against 23.5 µm/m·K for Aluminum 7050-T7451.