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Physical constant
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A physical constant is a physical quantity that is generally believed to be both universal in nature and

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constant in time. It can be contrasted with a mathematical constant

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does not directly involve any physical measurement.

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, which is a fixed numerical value, but

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There are many physical constants in science, some of the most widely recognized being the speed of light
in vacuum c, the gravitational constant

G, Planck's constant

h, the electric constant 0, and the elementary

charge e. Physical constants can take many dimensional forms: the speed of light signifies a maximum

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speed limit of the Universe and is expressed dimensionally as length divided by time ; while the fine-

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structure constant , which characterizes the strength of the electromagnetic interaction

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dimensionless .

, is

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Contents
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1 Dimensional and dimensionless physical constants

What links here

2 How constant are the physical constants?

Related changes

3 Anthropic principle

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4 Table of universal constants

Special pages

5 Table of electromagnetic constants

Permanent link

6 Table of atomic and nuclear constants

Page information

7 Table of physico-chemical constants

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8 Table of adopted values

9 Natural units
10 See also

Create a book

11 References

Download as PDF

12 External links

Printable version
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Dimensional and dimensionless physical constants

Azrbaycanca

Whereas the physical quantity

indicated by any physical constant does not depend on the unit system used

[edit]

to express the quantity, the numerical values of dimensional physical constants do depend on the unit
Bn-lm-g

()
Bosanski

used. Therefore, these numerical values (such as 299,792,458 for the constant speed of light c expressed
in units of meters per second) are not values that a theory of physics can be expected to predict.
Because their units cancel, ratios of like-dimensioned physical constants do not depend on unit systems in

Catal

this way, so they are pure dimensionless numbers

etina

conceivably hope to predict. Additionally, all equations describing laws of physics can be expressed

Dansk

without dimensional physical constants via a process known as nondimensionalisation , but the

Deutsch

dimensionless constants will remain. Thus, theoretical physicists tend to regard these dimensionless

Eesti

quantities as fundamental physical constants

whose values a future theory of physics could

Espaol

However, the term fundamental physical constant is also used in other ways. For example, the National

Esperanto

Institute of Standards and Technology[1] uses the term to refer to any universal physical quantity believed

to be constant, such as the speed of light c, and the gravitational constant

Franais
Galego

The fine-structure constant

G.

is probably the best known dimensionless

fundamental physical constant.

Many attempts have been made to derive its value (currently measured at about 1/137.035999) from

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Physical constant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

theory, but so
far none have succeeded. The same holds for the dimensionless ratios of
masses of

fundamental particles (such as mp/me, approximately 1836.152672). With the development of quantum
Hrvatski

chemistry in the 20th century, however, a vast number of previously inexplicable dimensionless physical

Italiano

constants were
successfully computed from theory. As such, some theoretical physicists
still hope for

continued progress in explaining the values of other dimensionless physical constants.

Latvieu

It is known that the Universe would be very different

Ltzebuergesch

from those we observe. For example, a few percent change in the value of the fine structure constant

Magyar

would be enough to eliminate stars like our Sun. This

has prompted attempts at anthropic explanations of

the values of some of the dimensionless fundamental physical constants.

,
if these constants took values significantly different

Bahasa Melayu
Nederlands

How constant are the physical constants?

Norsk bokml

Beginning with Paul Dirac

in 1937, some scientists have speculated that physical constants may actually

Norsk nynorsk
Picard

[edit]

decrease in proportion to the age of the Universe. Scientific experiments have not yet pinpointed any
definite evidence that this is the case, although they have placed upper bounds on the maximum possible

Polski
Portugus

relative change per year at very small amounts (roughly 1017 per year for the fine structure constant

Romn

and 10

11

for the gravitational constant

[2][3]

It is currently disputed

Scots

are operationally

Sicilianu
Simple English

G).

whether any changes in

meaningful;[4]

G, c, , or 0

dimensional physical constants such as

however, a sufficient change in a dimensionless constant such as

is

generally agreed to be something that would definitely be noticed. If a measurement indicated that a

Slovenina

dimensional physical constant had changed, this would be the result or interpretation of a more

Slovenina

fundamental dimensionless constant changing, which is the salient metric. From Barrow 2002 :

Srpskohrvatski /

Suomi
Svenska

[An] important lesson we learn from the way that pure numbers like define the World is
what it really means for worlds to be different. The pure number we call the fine structure
constant and denote by is a combination of the electron charge, e, the speed of light, c,
and Planck's constant, h.
At first we might be tempted to think that a world in which the

/tatara
Trke

speed of light was slower would be a different world. But this would be a mistake. If c, h,

different when we looked them up in our tables of physical constants, but the value of

Ting Vit

and e were all changed so that the values they have in metric (or any other) units were
remained the same, this new world would be observationally indistinguishable
from our

Edit links

World. The only thing that counts in the definition of worlds are the values of the
dimensionless constants of Nature. If all masses were doubled in value you cannot tell,
because all the pure numbers defined by the ratios of any pair of masses are unchanged.
On December 13, 2012,

physicists reported the constancy, over space and time, of a basic physical

constant of nature that supports the standard model of physics

molecules in a distant
to "(0.0 1.0)

107

. The scientists, studying methanol

galaxy , found the change (/) in the proton-to-electron mass ratio

at redshift z = 0.89" and consistent with "a

Anthropic principle

null result

to be equal

".[5][6]

[edit]

Main article: Anthropic principle

Some physicists have explored the notion that if the

dimensionless physical constants

had sufficiently

different values, our Universe would be so radically different that intelligent life would probably not have
emerged, and that our Universe therefore seems to be fine-tuned for intelligent life. The anthropic
principle states a logical truism :
the fact of our existence as intelligent beings who can measure physical
constants requires those constants to be such that beings like us can exist. There are a variety of
interpretations of the constants' values, including that of a divine creator (the apparent fine-tuning is actual
and intentional), or that ours is one universe of many in a multiverse (e.g. the Many-worlds interpretation
of quantum mechanics ), or even that, if information is an innate property of the universe and logically

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Physical constant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

inseparable from consciousness, a universe without the capacity for conscious beings cannot exist.

Table of universal constants

[edit]

Relative

v t e

Quantity

Value[7][8]

Symbol

Standard
Uncertainty

speed of light in vacuum

299 792 458 ms

Newtonian constant of

6.673 84(80) 10 11m 3 kg 1s 2 1.2 10

gravitation
Planck constant

6.626 069 57(29) 10

reduced Planck constant

1.054 571 726(47) 10

Table of electromagnetic constants

v t e

Quantity
magnetic constant

Symbol

defined

34

Js

34

Js

4.4 10

4.4 10

[edit]

Relative Standard

Value[7][8] (SI units)

Uncertainty

4 107 NA2 = 1.256 637

(vacuum

defined

permeability)

061... 106 NA2

electric constant (vacuum

8.854 187 817... 10

permittivity)

Fm 1

defined

characteristic impedance of

376.730 313 461...

defined

vacuum

8.987 551 787... 10

Coulomb's constant

12

defined

Nm 2 C 2

elementary charge

19

1.602 176 565(35) 10

9.274 009 68(20) 10

Bohr magneton

2.2 10

S 3.2 10

10

3.2 10

10

2.2 10

Wb2.2 10

JT 1

2.2 10

25 812.807 4434(84)

3.2 10

10

7.748 091 7346(25) 10

inverse conductance quantum

12 906.403 7217(42)
4.835 978 70(11) 10

14

HzV1

magnetic flux quantum

2.067 833 758(46) 10

5.050 783 53(11) 10

nuclear magneton
von Klitzing constant

Table of atomic and nuclear constants

Bohr radius

24

conductance quantum

v t e
Quantity

C 2.2 10

JT 1

Josephson constant

Symbol

15
27

[edit]

Value[7][8] (SI

Relative Standard

units)

Uncertainty

5.291 772 1092(17)

1011 m

classical electron

2.817 940 3267(27)

radius

1015 m
9.109 382 91(40)

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3.2 10

9.7 10

10

Physical constant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

electron mass

1031 kg

4.4 10

Fermi coupling

1.166 364(5) 10

constant

GeV 2

fine-structure

7.297 352 5698(24)

constant

103

4.359 744 34(19)

Hartree energy

1018 J
1.672 621 777(74)

proton mass

1027 kg

quantum of

3.636 947 5520(24)

circulation

104 m 2 s 1
10 973 731.568

Rydberg constant

539(55) m1

4.3 10

3.2 10

10

4.4 10

4.4 10

6.5 10

10

5.0 10

12

Thomson cross

6.652 458 734(13)

1029 m 2

1.9 10

section
weak mixing angle

0.2223(21)

9.5 10

Efimov factor

22.7

Table of physico-chemical constants

[edit]

Relative
Quantity
v t e

Symbol

Value[7][8]

(SI units)

Standard
Uncertainty

Atomic mass constant

Avogadro's number

Boltzmann constant

Faraday constant

1.660 538 921(73)

1027 kg
6.022 141 29(27)
1023 mol 1
1.380 6488(13) 10

4.4 10

23

JK 1
96
485.3365(21)Cmol1
3.741 771 53(17)

first

4.4 10

1016 Wm 2

9.1 10

2.2 10

4.4 10

4.4 10

9.1 10

9.1 10

7.0 10

10

radiation
constant

for spectral

1.191 042 869(53)

radiance

1016 Wm 2 sr 1

at
Loschmidt
constant

=273.15 K
and
=101.325

2.686 7805(24) 10
m 3

25

kPa
8.314 4621(75)

gas constant

JK1mol 1

molar Planck constant

3.990 312 7176(28)

1010 Jsmol

at
=273.15 K

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2.271 0953(21) 10

Physical constant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

molar

9.1 10

m 3 mol 1

and
=100 kPa

volume of
an ideal
gas

at
=273.15 K

2.241 3968(20) 10

and
=101.325

m 3 mol 1

9.1 10

1.151 7078(23)

2.0 10

1.164 8708(23)

1.9 10

kPa
at

=1 K

and
Sackur-

=100 kPa

Tetrode

at

constant

and

=1 K

=101.325
kPa
second radiation

1.438 7770(13) 10

constant

mK

StefanBoltzmann

5.670 373(21) 10

constant

Wm 2K4

Wien displacement law

4.965 114 231...

constant

Table of adopted values

mK

9.1 10

3.6 10

9.1 10

[edit]

Quantity

conventional value of

2.897 7721(26) 10

Symbol

Josephson

constant[9]

Value (SI
units)

Relative
Standard
Uncertainty

4.835 979
1014

defined

HzV1

conventional value of

von Klitzing

25 812.807

constant[10]
constant

1 10 3
kgmol 1

molar mass
of carbon-12
standard acceleration of

gravity (gee ,

1.2 10

defined

defined

kgmol 1
9.806 65

defined

free-fall on Earth)

ms2

defined

standard atmosphere

101 325 Pa

defined

Natural units

[edit]

Main article: Natural units

Using dimensional analysis , it is possible to combine dimensional universal physical constants to define a
system of units of measurement
that has no reference to any human construct. Depending on the choice

and arrangement of constants used, the resulting natural units may have useful physical meaning. For
example, Planck units , shown below, use
unified theories such as quantum gravity .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Physical_constant[04/01/2015 16:16:55]

c, G, , 0 and kB in such a manner to derive units relevant to

Physical constant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

v t e

Base Planck units

Name
Planck
length
Planck
mass

Dimension

Value[11] (SI units)

Expression

Length (L)

1.616199(97) 1035 m [12]

Mass (M)

2.17651(13) 108 kg [13]

Planck time Time (T)

5.39106(32) 1044 s [14]

Planck

Electric

charge

charge (Q)

1.875545956(41) 1018 C [15][16][17]

Planck

Temperature

1.416833(85) 1032 K[18]

temperature ()

See also

[edit]

Variables commonly used in physics

References

[edit]

1. ^ Latest (2010) Values of the Constants

; NIST, 2011.

2. ^ Duff, Michael J. " Comment on time-variation of fundamental constants ." High Energy Physics Theory, 2004.
3. ^ Duff, M. J.; Okun, L. B.; Veneziano, G. "

Trialogue on the number of fundamental constants ."

Classical Physics, 2002.

4. ^ In SI, c, and 0 now are defined numerical values, independent of experiment, so observations now are
directed elsewhere.
5. ^ Bagdonaite, Julija; Jansen, Paul; Henkel, Christian; Bethlem, Hendrick L.; Menten, Karl M.; Ubachs,
Wim (December 13, 2012). "A Stringent Limit on a Drifting Proton-to-Electron Mass Ratio from Alcohol
in the Early Universe" . Science (journal). Bibcode :2013Sci...339...46B
doi:10.1126/science.1224898

. Retrieved December 14, 2012 .

6. ^ Moskowitz, Clara (December 13, 2012).

"Phew! Universe's Constant Has Stayed Constant" .

Space.com . Retrieved December 14, 2012 .

7. ^ a b c d The values are given in the so-called

concise form; the number in brackets is the standard

uncertainty, which is the value multiplied by the relative standard uncertainty.

8. ^ a b c d P.J.
Mohr, B.N. Taylor, and D.B. Newell (2011), "The 2010 CODATA Recommended
Values of
the Fundamental Physical Constants" (Web Version 6.0). This database was developed by J. Baker, M.
Douma, and S. Kotochigova. Available: http://physics.nist.gov/constants

[Thursday, 02-Jun-2011

21:00:12 EDT]. National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899.

9. ^ This is the value adopted internationally for realizing representations of the volt using the Josephson
effect.
10. ^ This is the value adopted internationally for realizing representations of the ohm using the quantum Hall
effect.
11. ^ Fundamental Physical Constants from NIST
12. ^ CODATA Planck length
13. ^ CODATA Planck mass
14. ^ CODATA Planck time
15. ^ CODATA electric constant
16. ^ CODATA Planck constant over 2 pi
17. ^ CODATA speed of light in vacuum
18. ^ CODATA Planck temperature

Mohr, Peter J.; Taylor, Barry N.; Newell, David B. (2008). "CODATA Recommended Values of the

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Physical constant - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fundamental Physical Constants: 2006" . Rev. Mod. Phys. 80 (2): 633730. arXiv:0801.0028
Bibcode :2008RvMP...80..633M

. doi:10.1103/RevModPhys.80.633

Barrow, John D. (2002), The Constants of Nature; From Alpha to Omega - The Numbers that
Encode the Deepest Secrets of the Universe, Pantheon Books,

External links
Sixty Symbols

ISBN0-375-42221-8 .

[edit]

, University of Nottingham

IUPAC - Gold Book

Categories : Measurement

Physical constants

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