Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weightThermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
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Sources4 documents: Kaiser Aluminum, USDA Forest Products Laboratory
Aluminum 3003-O
3003-O (annealed) aluminium-manganese alloy, the heat-exchanger tube and brazing alloy, Kaiser Aluminum Tube & Pipe Alloy 3003 Technical Data (Rev. 05/06), typical properties; specific heat from the NIST cryogenic 3003-F fit at 293 K.
Wood
Northern red oak (Quercus rubra), clear straight-grained specimens at 12% MC, parallel to grain unless stated; USDA FPL Wood Handbook FPL-GTR-282 (2021) Ch. 4 and Ch. 5
1
Alloy 3003 Tube & Pipe Technical Data, Rev. 05/06Kaiser Aluminumarchived copyAluminum 3003-O · Yield strength: typical, O, 0.0625 in specimenAluminum 3003-O · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, OAluminum 3003-O · Elongation at break: typical, O, in 4DAluminum 3003-O · Young's modulus (stiffness): typicalAluminum 3003-O · Density: nominal, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal conductivity: typical, O, 20 °CAluminum 3003-O · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-100 °CAluminum 3003-O · Melting point: melting range
2
Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 5: Mechanical Properties of WoodUSDA Forest Products LaboratoryWood · Ultimate tensile strength: modulus of rupture (no direct tensile value)Wood · Compressive strength: compression parallel to grain (maximum crushing strength), 12% MCWood · Flexural strength: modulus of rupture (static bending), 12% MCWood · Young's modulus (stiffness): bending MOE, parallel to grainWood · Poisson's ratio: mu_LR (red oak group, ~12% MC)
3
Technical Note 218: Weights of Various Woods Grown in the United States (1953)USDA Forest Products LaboratoryWood · Density: average weight of clear wood at 8% and 15% moisture content
4
Wood Handbook (FPL-GTR-282), Chapter 4: Moisture Relations and Physical Properties of WoodUSDA Forest Products LaboratoryWood · Thermal conductivity: across grain, 12% MC (Table 4-7, approximate)Wood · Thermal expansion: parallel to grain, ovendry wood, range across speciesWood · Specific heat: solid wood (all species), 12% MC, 27 C
Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Mechanical
Is Aluminum 3003-O stronger than Wood?
Wood is stronger: its tensile strength is 99 MPa against yield strength 40 MPa for Aluminum 3003-O (2.48x).
Which is lighter, Aluminum 3003-O or Wood?
Wood is lighter: 692 kg/m³ against 2,730 kg/m³ for Aluminum 3003-O.
Which is stiffer, Aluminum 3003-O or Wood?
Aluminum 3003-O is stiffer: Young's modulus 69 GPa against 12.5 GPa for Wood, so the same part in Aluminum 3003-O deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Aluminum 3003-O or Wood?
For the same stiffness or strength: Aluminum 3003-O is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension); Wood is lighter for a stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate, strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate.
Part that must be
Aluminum 3003-O
Wood
Stiff rod or tie (tension)
lighter
40% heavier
Stiff beam (bending)
1.68x heavier
lighter
Stiff panel or plate
2.23x heavier
lighter
Strong rod or tie
9.77x heavier
lighter
Strong beam
7.22x heavier
lighter
Strong panel or plate
6.21x heavier
lighter
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).
Thermal
Which conducts heat better, Aluminum 3003-O or Wood?
Aluminum 3003-O conducts heat better: 193 W/m·K against 0.18 W/m·K for Wood.
Which expands less with temperature?
Wood expands less: 3.8 µm/m·K against 23.2 µm/m·K for Aluminum 3003-O.