This appendix is broken into several tables.
Important Constants1
Symbol |
Meaning |
Best Value |
Approximate Value |
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Speed of light in vacuum |
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Gravitational constant |
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Avogadro’s number |
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Boltzmann’s constant |
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Gas constant |
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Stefan-Boltzmann constant |
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Coulomb force constant |
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Charge on electron |
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Permittivity of free space |
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Permeability of free space |
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Planck’s constant |
|
|
Submicroscopic Masses2
Symbol |
Meaning |
Best Value |
Approximate Value |
|
Electron mass |
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Proton mass |
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Neutron mass |
|
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Atomic mass unit |
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Solar System Data
Sun |
mass |
|
|
average radius |
|
|
Earth-sun distance (average) |
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Earth |
mass |
|
|
average radius |
|
|
orbital period |
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Moon |
mass |
|
|
average radius |
|
|
orbital period (average) |
|
|
Earth-moon distance (average) |
|
Metric Prefixes for Powers of Ten and Their Symbols
Prefix |
Symbol |
Value |
Prefix |
Symbol |
Value |
tera |
T |
|
deci |
d |
|
giga |
G |
|
centi |
c |
|
mega |
M |
|
milli |
m |
|
kilo |
k |
|
micro |
|
|
hecto |
h |
|
nano |
n |
|
deka |
da |
|
pico |
p |
|
— |
— |
|
femto |
f |
|
The Greek Alphabet
Alpha |
|
|
Eta |
|
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Nu |
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Tau |
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Beta |
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Theta |
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Xi |
|
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Upsilon |
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Gamma |
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Iota |
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Omicron |
|
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Phi |
|
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Delta |
|
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Kappa |
|
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Pi |
|
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Chi |
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Epsilon |
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Lambda |
|
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Rho |
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Psi |
|
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Zeta |
|
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Mu |
|
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Sigma |
|
|
Omega |
|
|
SI Units
|
Entity |
Abbreviation |
Name |
Fundamental units |
Length |
m |
meter |
|
Mass |
kg |
kilogram |
|
Time |
s |
second |
|
Current |
A |
ampere |
Supplementary unit |
Angle |
rad |
radian |
Derived units |
Force |
|
newton |
|
Energy |
|
joule |
|
Power |
|
watt |
|
Pressure |
|
pascal |
|
Frequency |
|
hertz |
|
Electronic potential |
|
volt |
|
Capacitance |
|
farad |
|
Charge |
|
coulomb |
|
Resistance |
|
ohm |
|
Magnetic field |
|
tesla |
|
Nuclear decay rate |
|
becquerel |
Selected British Units
Length |
|
|
|
|
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Force |
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Energy |
|
Power |
|
Pressure |
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Other Units
Length |
|
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Area |
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Volume |
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Mass |
|
|
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Time |
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Speed |
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Angle |
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Energy |
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Pressure |
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Nuclear decay rate |
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Useful Formulae
Circumference of a circle with radius or diameter |
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Area of a circle with radius or diameter |
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Area of a sphere with radius |
|
Volume of a sphere with radius |
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Footnotes
- Stated values are according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty, www.physics.nist.gov/cuu (accessed May 18, 2012). Values in parentheses are the uncertainties in the last digits. Numbers without uncertainties are exact as defined.
- Stated values are according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty, www.physics.nist.gov/cuu (accessed May 18, 2012). Values in parentheses are the uncertainties in the last digits. Numbers without uncertainties are exact as defined.