Balsa
Balsa is a wood-based material. It has the lowest density among wood-based materials. In addition, it has the highest dielectric strength and a moderately low ductility. The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare balsa to other wood-based materials (top) and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Compressive (Crushing) Strength
7.0 MPa 1.0 x 103 psi
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
3.0 GPa 0.44 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
1.2 %
Poisson's Ratio
0.38
Shear Modulus
0.23 GPa 0.033 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
14 MPa 2.0 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Specific Heat Capacity
1700 J/kg-K 0.41 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
0.1 W/m-K 0.058 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
6.5 µm/m-K
Other Material Properties
Density
0.13 g/cm3 8.1 lb/ft3
Dielectric Strength (Breakdown Potential)
4.9 kV/mm 0.19 V/mil
Common Calculations
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
13 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
30 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
99 points
Thermal Diffusivity
0.45 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
51 points
Followup Questions
Further Reading
Wood Handbook: Wood as an Engineering Material, Forest Products Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, 1999