Physics and Chemistry Symbols

• λ

  Wavelength

  Said: LAM-duh

  Distance over which a wave repeats its shape.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Waves

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  m

  Formula clue

  c = lambda nu

  Unicode

  U+03BB

  LaTeX

  \lambda

  HTML

  λ

  Lambda can also mean a decay constant or a rate parameter in other contexts.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• λ

  Decay constant

  Said: LAM-duh

  Probability per unit time that an unstable nucleus decays.

  Field

  Physics, Chemistry

  Context

  Nuclear

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  1/s

  Formula clue

  half-life = ln 2 / lambda

  Unicode

  U+03BB

  LaTeX

  \lambda

  HTML

  λ

  Use the time unit that matches the half-life data.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ε

  Molar absorptivity

  Said: EP-si-lon

  How strongly a species absorbs light at a wavelength in Beer-Lambert law.

  Field

  Chemistry

  Context

  Spectroscopy

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  L mol^-1 cm^-1

  Formula clue

  A = epsilon l c

  Unicode

  U+03B5

  LaTeX

  \varepsilon

  HTML

  ε

  Some sources use a plain e or k for related absorption constants.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ρ

  Density

  Said: roh

  Mass per unit volume.

  Field

  Physics, Chemistry

  Context

  Mechanics

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  kg/m^3

  Formula clue

  rho = m / V

  Unicode

  U+03C1

  LaTeX

  \rho

  HTML

  ρ

  Chemistry classes often use g/mL or g/cm^3 for the same quantity.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ΔH

  Enthalpy change

  Said: DEL-tuh H

  Change in enthalpy for a process or reaction.

  Field

  Chemistry

  Context

  Thermodynamics

  Kind

  conventional-symbol

  Unit

  kJ/mol

  Formula clue

  Delta H = H products - H reactants

  Unicode

  U+0394 U+0048

  LaTeX

  \Delta H

  HTML

  ΔH

  Reaction-normalized values depend on the balanced equation as written.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• τ

  Torque

  Said: taw

  Rotational effect of a force about an axis.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Mechanics

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  N m

  Formula clue

  tau = r F sin theta

  Unicode

  U+03C4

  LaTeX

  \tau

  HTML

  τ

  Tau can also mean a time constant or shear stress.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• μ

  Coefficient of friction

  Said: mew

  Dimensionless ratio describing friction force relative to normal force.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Mechanics

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  dimensionless

  Formula clue

  F friction = mu N

  Unicode

  U+03BC

  LaTeX

  \mu

  HTML

  μ

  Mu is heavily overloaded; check the equation context.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• μ

  Magnetic permeability

  Said: mew

  Material response relating magnetic field intensity and magnetic flux density.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Electromagnetism

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  H/m

  Formula clue

  B = mu H

  Unicode

  U+03BC

  LaTeX

  \mu

  HTML

  μ

  Vacuum permeability is usually written mu naught.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• μ

  Micro prefix

  Said: mew

  SI prefix for one millionth, 10^-6.

  Field

  Physics, Chemistry

  Context

  Chemistry

  Kind

  prefix

  Unit

  10^-6

  Formula clue

  1 micrometer = 10^-6 m

  Unicode

  U+03BC

  LaTeX

  \mu

  HTML

  μ

  This is a prefix, not a measured variable.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• μ

  Chemical potential

  Said: mew

  Change in Gibbs energy when one mole of a species is added at fixed conditions.

  Field

  Chemistry

  Context

  Thermodynamics

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  J/mol

  Formula clue

  mu = partial G / partial n

  Unicode

  U+03BC

  LaTeX

  \mu

  HTML

  μ

  Advanced texts define the exact constraints for the derivative.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ε

  Permittivity

  Said: EP-si-lon

  Material response that sets how electric fields behave in a medium.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Electromagnetism

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  F/m

  Formula clue

  D = epsilon E

  Unicode

  U+03B5

  LaTeX

  \varepsilon

  HTML

  ε

  Do not confuse this with molar absorptivity in spectroscopy.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ε

  Strain

  Said: EP-si-lon

  Relative deformation, often change in length divided by original length.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Mechanics

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  dimensionless

  Formula clue

  epsilon = Delta L / L0

  Unicode

  U+03B5

  LaTeX

  \varepsilon

  HTML

  ε

  Mechanics texts may distinguish engineering strain and true strain.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ρ

  Resistivity

  Said: roh

  Material opposition to electric current.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Electromagnetism

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  ohm m

  Formula clue

  R = rho L / A

  Unicode

  U+03C1

  LaTeX

  \rho

  HTML

  ρ

  Density uses the same letter in mechanics and chemistry.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ν

  Frequency

  Said: new

  Number of wave cycles per second.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Waves

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  Hz

  Formula clue

  c = lambda nu

  Unicode

  U+03BD

  LaTeX

  \nu

  HTML

  ν

  The Greek nu can look like a Latin v in some fonts.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML
• ω

  Angular frequency

  Said: oh-MAY-guh

  Rate of angular phase change.

  Field

  Physics

  Context

  Waves, Mechanics

  Kind

  variable

  Unit

  rad/s

  Formula clue

  omega = 2 pi f

  Unicode

  U+03C9

  LaTeX

  \omega

  HTML

  ω

  Angular velocity uses the same symbol in rotational mechanics.

  Copy symbol Copy LaTeX Copy HTML

No science notation entry matched. This tool looks up common symbols, not numbers such as 1e5.