Lower
case letters |
Upper
case Letters |
Greek Letters *
and their names
|
Equation Abbreviation
for a Physical Quantity
|
Unit symbol
|
S.I. Prefix and
its value
NB it always precedes a unit symbol
|
|
a
|
A
|
α
|
Α
|
alpha |
A
= area
A = nucleon
number (atomic mass)
a = acceleration
a =
Wein constant a
= alpha particle
|
|
a
= atto |
x
10-18 |
|
b
|
B
|
β
|
Β
|
beta |
B
= magnetic flux density
b
= beta particle
|
B
= bell (sound intensity)
Bq = becquerel (activity) |
|
|
|
c
|
C
|
χ
|
Χ
|
χ |
C
= capacitance
c = speed of light c = specific heat capacity
|
oC
= degree Celsius (temperature) |
c
= centi |
x
10-2 |
|
d
|
D
|
δ
|
Δ
|
δ |
d
= diameter
d = distance
D = distance from screen
to fringe pattern
D = absorbed dose
Δ = change in
δ = little change in
|
D
= dioptre (power of a lens)
dB = decibel (sound intensity) |
d
= deci
da = deca (or deka) |
x
10-1
x 101
|
|
e
|
E
|
ε
|
Ε
|
ε |
e = charge on an electron
E = energy
Ek = kinetic energy
E = electric field strength
E = Young's Modulus
ε = emf
ε = tensile strain
εo = permittivity of free space
|
eV
= electron volt (energy) |
E
= exa |
x
1018 |
|
f
|
F
|
φ
|
Φ
|
phi |
F = force
f = frequency
f = focal length
fe = focal length of eyepiece lens
fo = focal length of objective lens
Φ = flux
φ = work function
|
F
= farad (capacitance) |
f
= femto |
x
10-15 |
|
g
|
G
|
γ
|
Γ
|
gamma |
g = gravitational field strength
g = acceleration due to gravity
G = gravitational constant
G = conductance
γ = gamma ray |
Gy = gray (absorbed dose) |
G = giga |
x 109 |
|
h
|
H
|
η
|
Η
|
eta |
h = height
h = Planck constant
H = dose equivalent>
H = hubble constant
Η = coefficient of viscosity |
H = henry (inductance)
Hz = hertz (frequency) |
h = hecto |
x 102 |
|
I
|
I
|
ι
|
Ι
|
iota |
I = current
I0 = peak current
I = sound intensity
I = moment of inertia
|
|
|
j
|
J
|
θ
|
Θ
|
theta |
J = current density
J = moment of inertia
Θ = angle
|
J = joule (energy) |
|
|
|
k
|
K
|
κ
|
Κ
|
kappa |
k = Boltzmann constant
k = spring constant |
K = kelvin (absolute temperature)
kg = kilogram (mass) |
k = kilo |
x 103 |
|
l
|
L
|
λ
|
Λ
|
lambda |
l
= length
l = specific latent heat
λ = wavelength
λ = decay constant
L = self inductance
L = angular momentum
ln = natural log of
log = log base 10 of
|
l = litre ( = 1000cm3) - volume measurement |
|
|
|
m
|
M
|
m
|
μ
|
mu |
m = mass
M = magnification
μ = permeability
μ = coefficient of friction |
m = metre (length)
m2= metre squared (area)
m3= metre cubed (volume) |
M = mega
m = milli
μ = micro
|
x 106
x 10-3
x 10-6 |
|
n
|
N
|
ν
|
Ν
|
nu |
N = number
NO = original number
NA = Avogadro constant
N = number of turns of wire
n = number of moles
n= order of diffraction
n = number of charge carriers per unit volume
n = refractive index |
N
= newton (force or weight) |
n
= nano |
x
10-9 |
|
o
|
O
|
ο
|
Ο
|
omicron |
NOT used for anything - it would too easily be confused with the number zero
|
|
p
|
P
|
π
|
Π
|
pi |
P = power
p = pressure
p = momentum
π = 3.14 |
Pa = pascal (pressure) |
p = pico
P = peta |
x
10-12
x 1015 |
|
q
|
Q
|
|
|
|
Q
= charge
Q = heat
energy Q = quality
factor
|
|
|
|
|
r
|
R
|
ρ
|
Ρ
|
rho |
r = radius
R = resistance
R = molar gas constant
R = reacrion force
ρ = density
ρ = resistivity
rad = radian |
|
|
|
|
s
|
S
|
σ
|
Σ
|
sigma |
s = displacement (vector version of distance)
s = slit width
σ = conductivity
σ = tensile stress
σ = Stefan constant
Σ = sum of |
s = second (time)
Sv = sievert (dose equivalent)
S = siemens (conductance) |
|
|
|
t
|
T
|
τ
|
Τ
|
tau |
t = time
T = temperature
T = period of a waveform
T1/2 = half life
TE = effective half life
TB = bilogical half life
TP = physical half life |
T = tesla (magnetic flux density) |
T = tera |
x 1012 |
|
u
|
U
|
υ
|
Υ
|
upsilon |
u = initial velocity
u = image distance
U = U-value
U = internal heat of a system |
u = atomic mass unit (mass at atomic levels) |
|
|
|
v
|
V
|
|
|
|
v = velocity
v = final velocity (when used in conjunction with 'u')
v = image distance
V = volume
V = potential difference
V0 = peak voltage |
V = volt (electric potential) |
|
|
|
w
|
W
|
ω
|
Ω
|
omega |
W = work done
ω = angular velocity
w = width of a fringe |
Ω = ohm (electrical resistance)
W = watt(power)
Wb =weber (magnetic flux) |
|
|
|
x
|
X
|
χ
|
Χ
|
chi |
x = width
X = reactance |
|
|
|
|
y
|
Y
|
ξ
|
Ξ
|
xi |
y = height |
|
y = yocto
Y = yotta |
x 10-24
x 1024 |
|
z
|
Z
|
ζ
|
Ζ
|
zeta |
z = depth
Z = proton number (atomic number) |
|
z = zepto
Z = zeta |
x
10-21
x
1021 |
|
|
|
NOTE
HOW IMPORTANT THE CASE OF THE LETTER IS - LEARN ACCEPTED SYMBOLS
CAREFULLY!!!
|
|
NB A
level candidates are required to:
(a) define symbols used in an equation
and
(b) the conditions under which the
equations apply !!!
|
The
Greek letters are not in the order of the Greek alphabet but
put next to their equivalent letter so that you can find them
easily using the 'symbol' font in 'MSWord'
