Special Symbols

Reference

style sheet

These are the conventions used in this book.

Vector quantities (F, g, v) are written in a bold, serif font — including vector quantities written with Greek symbols
(α, τ, ω).
Scalar quantities (m, K, t) and the magnitudes of vector quantities (F, g, v) are written in an italic, serif font —
except for Greek symbols (α, τ, ω), which use a roman serif font.
Mathematical symbols use a roman, serif font (½, +, √, cos) — except when they are applied to calculations with
units.
Units are written with a roman, sans-serif font (m, N, ℃) as are mathematical operations with numbers and units
(7 kg × 10 m/s ÷ 3 s = 23.3 N).
symbols for physical quantities and their international units

Space & Time

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

r, r position, separation, radius, radius of curvature m meter

s, s displacement, distance m meter

θ, φ, θ, φ angle, angular displacement, angular separation, rad radian

rotation angle

x, y, z cartesian coordinates m meter

î, ĵ, k̂ cartesian unit vectors unitless

r, θ, φ spherical coordinates m, rad meter, radian

r̂, θ̂, φ̂ spherical unit vectors unitless

ρ, φ, z cylindrical coordinates m, rad meter, radian

ρ̂, φ̂, ẑ cylindrical unit vectors unitless

n̂ normal unit vector unitless

t̂ tangential unit vector unitless

h height, depth m meter

ℓ, L length m meter

d distance, separation, thickness m meter

t thickness m meter

D diameter m meter

C circumference m meter

A, A area, cross-sectional area, projected area, surface m2 square meter

area

V volume m3 cubic meter

t time, duration s second

T period, periodic time s second

τ time constant s second

f frequency Hz hertz

ω angular frequency rad/s radian per second

 Mechanics

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

v, v velocity, speed m/s meter per second

a, a acceleration m/s2 meter per second squared

a c, a c centripetal acceleration, centrifugal acceleration m/s2 meter per second squared

g, g gravitational field, acceleration due to gravity m/s2 meter per second squared

m mass kg kilogram

F, F force N newton

Fg, W, W force of gravity, weight N newton

Fn, N, N normal force, normal N newton

Ff , f s , f k force of friction (static, kinetic) N newton

μs, μk coefficient of friction (static, kinetic) unitless

p, p momentum kg m/s kilogram meter per second

J, J impulse Ns newton second

W work J joule

E energy, total energy J joule

K, Kt, Kr kinetic energy (translational, rotational) J joule

U, Ug, Us potential energy (gravitational, spring) J joule

Vg gravitational potential J/kg joule per kilogram

η efficiency unitless

P power W watt

ω, ω rotational velocity, rotational speed rad/s radian per second

α, α rotational acceleration rad/s2 radian per second squared

τ, τ torque Nm newton meter

I moment of inertia kg m2 kilogram meter squared

L, L angular momentum kg m2/s kilogram meter squared per

second

H, H angular impulse Nms newton meter second

k spring constant N/m newton per meter

P pressure Pa pascal

σ normal stress Pa pascal

τ shear stress Pa pascal

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

ρ density, volume mass density kg/m3 kilogram per cubic meter

σ area mass density, superficial mass density kg/m2 kilogram per square meter

λ linear mass density kg/m kilogram per meter

FB, B, B buoyancy, buoyant force N newton

qm mass flow rate kg/s kilogram per second

qV volume flow rate m3/s cubic meter per second

FD, R, R drag, aerodynamic drag, air resistance N newton

C, CD drag coefficient, coefficient of drag unitless

η viscosity, dynamic viscosity Pa s pascal second

ν kinematic viscosity m2/s square meter per second

Ma mach number unitless

Re reynolds number unitless

Fr froude number unitless

E young's modulus, modulus of elasticity Pa pascal

G shear modulus, modulus of rigidity Pa pascal

K bulk modulus, modulus of compression Pa pascal

ε linear strain unitless

γ shear strain unitless

θ volume strain unitless

γ surface tension N/m newton per meter

 Thermal Physics

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

T temperature K kelvin

α linear expansivity, coefficient of linear thermal K−1 inverse kelvin

expansion

β volume expansivity, coefficient of volume thermal K−1 inverse kelvin

expansion

Q heat J joule

c specific heat, specific heat capacity J/kg K joule per kilogram kelvin

L latent heat, specific latent heat J/kg joule per kilogram

n amount of substance mole

N number of particles unitless

P heat flow rate W watt

k thermal conductivity W/m K watt per meter kelvin

ε emissivity unitless

U internal energy J joule

S entropy J/K joule per kelvin

w ways, number of identical microstates unitless

COP coefficient of performance unitless

Waves & Optics

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

λ wavelength m meter

v, c wave speed m/s meter per second

I intensity W/m2 watt per square meter

L level dB, dNp decibel, decineper

n index of refraction, absolute index of refraction unitless

f focal length m meter

M magnification unitless
 Electricity & Magnetism

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

q, Q charge, electric charge C coulomb

ρ charge density, volume charge density C/m3 coulomb per cubic meter

σ area charge density, superficial charge density C/m2 coulomb per square meter

λ linear charge density C/m coulomb per meter

FE , F E electric force, electrostatic force N newton

E, E electric field N/C, V/m newton per coulomb, volt per

meter

ΦE electric flux N m2/C, V m newton meter squared per

coulomb, volt meter

U, UE potential energy, electric potential energy J joule

V, VE voltage, potential, electric potential V volt

ℰ electromotive force, emf V volt

C capacitance F farad

κ dielectric constant unitless

I current, electric current A ampère

R, r resistance, electrical resistance, internal resistance Ω ohm

ρ resistivity Ωm ohm meter

G conductance S siemens

σ conductivity S/m siemens per meter

FB , F B magnetic force N newton

B, B magnetic field T tesla

ΦB magnetic flux Wb weber

N number of turns unitless

n turns per unit length, turns density m−1 inverse meter

η energy density J/m3 joule per cubic meter

S, S poynting vector, intensity W/m2 watt per square meter

 Modern Physics

symbol quantity symbol SI unit

γ lorentz factor, lorentz gamma unitless

φ work function J joule

ψ(r,t), wave function unitless

ψ(r)φ(t)

T½ half life s second

D dose, absorbed dose Gy gray

H effective dose Sv sievert

miscellaneous symbols

Mathematical symbols and notation

symbol description

+ plus, add, sum, positive

− minus, subtract, difference, negative

± uncertainty, error, plus-minus

· multiply, dot, dot product, scalar product

× multiply, cross, cross product, vector product

÷, / divide

x2 square

x3 cube

√ square root, root, radical

∛ cube root

1
, x−1 invert, reciprocal
x

= equal to, equality

≈ approximately equal to

∝ proportional to

≠ not equal to, inequality

~ on the order of

< less than

> greater than

≤ less than or equal to

≥ greater than or equal to

≪ much less than

≫ much greater than

⇒, ⇐ logical implication

⇔ logical equivalence

→ approaches

… and so on

∴ therefore

f(x) function

sin sine
symbol description

cos cosine

tan tangent

sinh hyperbolic sine

cosh hyperbolic cosine

tanh hyperbolic tangent

x̂ unit vector, x hat

∥ parallel

⟂ perpendicular

x mean, average, antiparticle, x bar

x̃ median, supersymetric particle, x tilde

⟨⟩ time average, ensemble average, bracket

p(x) probability distribution, probability density function

∆ increment, change, delta

d differential, d

∂ partial differential, d partial, del

ẋ time rate of change, first derivative with respect to time, x dot

ẍ second derivative with respect to time, x double dot

x⃛ third derivative with respect to time, x triple dot

∇ gradient, grad, del, nabla

∇· divergence, div, del dot

∇× curl, del cross

∇ 2 laplacian, del squared

∑ summation, sigma

∫ integral

∬ double integral

∭ triple integral

∮ contour integral

∯ surface integral

∰ volume integral

∞ infinity
symbol description

ℵ 0
transfinite number, aleph null

Greek alphabet (with variants)

letter English name letter English name

Α, α alpha Ν, ν nu

Β, β, ϐ beta Ξ, ξ xi

Γ, γ gamma Ο, ο omicron

Δ, ∆, δ delta Π, ∏, π, ϖ pi

Ε, ε, ϵ epsilon Ρ, ρ, ϱ rho

Ζ, ζ zeta Σ, ∑, σ, ς sigma

Η, η eta Τ, τ tau

Θ, ϴ, θ, ϑ theta Υ, υ upsilon

Ι, ι iota Φ, φ, ϕ phi

Κ, κ, ϰ kappa Χ, χ chi

Λ, λ lambda Ψ, ψ psi

Μ, μ, µ mu Ω, Ω, ω omega

Astronomical symbols

symbol celestial body symbol constellation

☉ Sun ♈ Aries

☿ Mercury ♉ Taurus

♀ Venus ♊ Gemini

♁ Earth ♋ Cancer

☽, ☾ Moon ♌ Leo

♂ Mars ♍ Virgo

♃ Jupiter ♎ Libra

♄ Saturn ♏ Scorpius

♅, ⛢ Uranus ♐ Sagittarius

♆ Neptune ♑ Capricorn

♇, ⯓ Pluto ♒ Aquarius

⚳ Ceres ♓ Pisces
 Musical symbols

symbol name

♭ flat, semitone lower

♮ natural, no semitone adjustment

♯ sharp, semitone higher

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