|
average (indicated by a bar over a symbol—e.g., is average velocity) |
|
Celsius degree |
|
Fahrenheit degree |
|
parallel |
|
perpendicular |
|
proportional to |
|
plus or minus |
|
zero as a subscript denotes an initial value |
|
alpha rays |
|
angular acceleration |
|
temperature coefficient(s) of resistivity |
|
beta rays |
|
sound level |
|
volume coefficient of expansion |
|
electron emitted in nuclear beta decay |
|
positron decay |
|
gamma rays |
|
surface tension |
|
a constant used in relativity |
|
change in whatever quantity follows |
|
uncertainty in whatever quantity follows |
|
change in energy between the initial and final orbits of an electron in an atom |
|
uncertainty in energy |
|
difference in mass between initial and final products |
|
number of decays that occur |
|
change in momentum |
|
uncertainty in momentum |
|
change in gravitational potential energy |
|
rotation angle |
|
distance traveled along a circular path |
|
uncertainty in time |
|
proper time as measured by an observer at rest relative to the process |
|
potential difference |
|
uncertainty in position |
|
permittivity of free space |
|
viscosity |
|
angle between the force vector and the displacement vector |
|
angle between two lines |
|
contact angle |
|
direction of the resultant |
|
Brewster's angle |
|
critical angle |
|
dielectric constant |
|
decay constant of a nuclide |
|
wavelength |
|
wavelength in a medium |
|
permeability of free space |
|
coefficient of kinetic friction |
|
coefficient of static friction |
|
electron neutrino |
|
positive pion |
|
negative pion |
|
neutral pion |
|
density |
|
critical density, the density needed to just halt universal expansion |
|
fluid density |
|
average density of an object |
|
specific gravity |
|
characteristic time constant for a resistance and inductance or resistance and capacitance circuit |
|
characteristic time for a resistor and capacitor circuit |
|
torque |
|
upsilon meson |
|
magnetic flux |
|
phase angle |
|
ohm (unit) |
|
angular velocity |
|
ampere (current unit) |
|
area |
|
cross-sectional area |
|
total number of nucleons |
|
acceleration |
|
Bohr radius |
|
centripetal acceleration |
|
tangential acceleration |
|
alternating current |
|
amplitude modulation |
|
atmosphere |
|
baryon number |
|
blue quark color |
|
antiblue (yellow) antiquark color |
|
quark flavor bottom or beauty |
|
bulk modulus |
|
magnetic field strength |
|
electron’s intrinsic magnetic field |
|
orbital magnetic field |
|
binding energy of a nucleus—it is the energy required to completely disassemble it into separate protons and neutrons |
|
binding energy per nucleon |
|
becquerel—one decay per second |
|
capacitance (amount of charge stored per volt) |
|
coulomb (a fundamental SI unit of charge) |
|
total capacitance in parallel |
|
total capacitance in series |
|
center of gravity |
|
center of mass |
|
quark flavor charm |
|
specific heat |
|
speed of light |
|
kilocalorie |
|
calorie |
|
heat pump’s coefficient of performance |
|
coefficient of performance for refrigerators and air conditioners |
|
cosine |
|
cotangent |
|
cosecant |
|
diffusion constant |
|
displacement |
|
quark flavor down |
|
decibel |
|
distance of an image from the center of a lens |
|
distance of an object from the center of a lens |
|
direct current |
|
electric field strength |
|
emf (voltage) or Hall electromotive force |
|
electromotive force |
|
energy of a single photon |
|
nuclear reaction energy |
|
relativistic total energy |
|
total energy |
|
ground state energy for hydrogen |
|
rest energy |
|
electron capture |
|
energy stored in a capacitor |
|
efficiency—the useful work output divided by the energy input |
|
Carnot efficiency |
|
energy consumed (food digested in humans) |
|
energy stored in an inductor |
|
energy output |
|
emissivity of an object |
|
antielectron or positron |
|
electron volt |
|
farad (unit of capacitance, a coulomb per volt) |
|
focal point of a lens |
|
force |
|
magnitude of a force |
|
restoring force |
|
buoyant force |
|
centripetal force |
|
force input |
|
net force |
|
force output |
|
frequency modulation |
|
focal length |
|
frequency |
|
resonant frequency of a resistance, inductance, and capacitance series circuit |
|
threshold frequency for a particular material (photoelectric effect) |
|
fundamental |
|
first overtone |
|
second overtone |
|
beat frequency |
|
magnitude of kinetic friction |
|
magnitude of static friction |
|
gravitational constant |
|
green quark color |
|
antigreen (magenta) antiquark color |
|
acceleration due to gravity |
|
gluons (carrier particles for strong nuclear force) |
|
change in vertical position |
|
height above some reference point |
|
maximum height of a projectile |
|
Planck's constant |
|
photon energy |
|
height of the image |
|
height of the object |
|
electric current |
|
intensity |
|
intensity of a transmitted wave |
|
moment of inertia (also called rotational inertia) |
|
intensity of a polarized wave before passing through a filter |
|
average intensity for a continuous sinusoidal electromagnetic wave |
|
average current |
|
joule |
|
Joules/psi meson
|
|
kelvin |
|
Boltzmann constant |
|
force constant of a spring |
|
x rays created when an electron falls into an shell vacancy from the shell |
|
x rays created when an electron falls into an shell vacancy from the shell |
|
kilocalorie |
|
translational kinetic energy |
|
mechanical energy |
|
kinetic energy of an ejected electron |
|
relativistic kinetic energy |
|
rotational kinetic energy |
|
thermal energy |
|
kilogram (a fundamental SI unit of mass) |
|
angular momentum |
|
liter |
|
magnitude of angular momentum |
|
self-inductance |
|
angular momentum quantum number |
|
x rays created when an electron falls into an shell from the shell |
|
electron total family number |
|
muon family total number |
|
tau family total number |
|
heat of fusion |
|
latent heat coefficients |
|
orbital angular momentum |
|
heat of sublimation |
|
heat of vaporization |
|
z - component of the angular momentum
|
|
angular magnification |
|
mutual inductance |
|
indicates metastable state |
|
magnification |
|
mass |
|
mass of an object as measured by a person at rest relative to the object |
|
meter (a fundamental SI unit of length) |
|
order of interference |
|
overall magnification (product of the individual magnifications) |
|
atomic mass of a nuclide |
|
mechanical advantage |
|
magnification of the eyepiece |
|
mass of the electron |
|
angular momentum projection quantum number |
|
mass of a neutron |
|
magnification of the objective lens |
|
mole |
|
mass of a proton |
|
spin projection quantum number |
|
magnitude of the normal force |
|
newton |
|
normal force |
|
number of neutrons |
|
index of refraction |
|
number of free charges per unit volume |
|
Avogadro's number |
|
Reynolds number |
|
newton-meter (work-energy unit) |
|
newtons times meters (SI unit of torque) |
|
other energy |
|
power |
|
power of a lens |
|
pressure |
|
momentum |
|
momentum magnitude |
|
relativistic momentum |
|
total momentum |
|
total momentum some time later |
|
absolute pressure |
|
atmospheric pressure |
|
standard atmospheric pressure |
|
potential energy |
|
elastic potential energy |
|
electric potential energy |
|
potential energy of a spring |
|
gauge pressure |
|
power consumption or input |
|
useful power output going into useful work or a desired, form of energy |
|
latent heat |
|
net heat transferred into a system |
|
flow rate—volume per unit time flowing past a point |
|
positive charge |
|
negative charge |
|
electron charge |
|
charge of a proton |
|
test charge |
|
quality factor |
|
activity, the rate of decay |
|
radius of curvature of a spherical mirror |
|
red quark color |
|
antired (cyan) quark color |
|
resistance |
|
resultant or total displacement |
|
Rydberg constant |
|
universal gas constant |
|
distance from pivot point to the point where a force is applied |
|
internal resistance |
|
perpendicular lever arm |
|
radius of a nucleus |
|
radius of curvature |
|
resistivity |
|
radiation dose unit |
|
roentgen equivalent man |
|
radian |
|
relative biological effectiveness |
|
resistor and capacitor circuit |
|
root mean square |
|
radius of the nth H-atom orbit
|
|
total resistance of a parallel connection |
|
total resistance of a series connection |
|
Schwarzschild radius |
|
entropy |
|
intrinsic spin (intrinsic angular momentum) |
|
magnitude of the intrinsic (internal) spin angular momentum |
|
shear modulus |
|
strangeness quantum number |
|
quark flavor strange |
|
second (fundamental SI unit of time) |
|
spin quantum number |
|
total displacement |
|
secant |
|
sine |
|
z-component of spin angular momentum
|
|
period—time to complete one oscillation |
|
temperature |
|
critical temperature—temperature below which a material becomes a superconductor |
|
tension |
|
tesla (magnetic field strength B) |
|
quark flavor top or truth |
|
time |
|
half-life—the time in which half of the original nuclei decay |
|
tangent |
|
internal energy |
|
quark flavor up |
|
unified atomic mass unit |
|
velocity of an object relative to an observer |
|
velocity relative to another observer |
|
electric potential |
|
terminal voltage |
|
volt (unit) |
|
volume |
|
relative velocity between two observers |
|
speed of light in a material |
|
velocity |
|
average fluid velocity |
|
change in potential |
|
drift velocity |
|
transformer input voltage |
|
rms voltage |
|
transformer output voltage |
|
total velocity |
|
propagation speed of sound or other wave |
|
wave velocity |
|
work |
|
net work done by a system |
|
watt |
|
weight |
|
weight of the fluid displaced by an object |
|
total work done by all conservative forces |
|
total work done by all nonconservative forces |
|
useful work output |
|
amplitude |
|
symbol for an element |
|
notation for a particular nuclide |
|
deformation or displacement from equilibrium |
|
displacement of a spring from its undeformed position |
|
horizontal axis |
|
capacitive reactance |
|
inductive reactance |
|
root mean square diffusion distance |
|
vertical axis |
|
elastic modulus or Young's modulus |
|
atomic number (number of protons in a nucleus) |
|
impedance |