Appendix 10 Letters Used as Symbols for Quantities

Letter

Quality

A

area, mass number

a

acceleration

В

magnetic flux density

b

breadth

C

capacitance, heat capacity

с

specific heat capacity, velocity of e.m. waves in vacuum, critical angle

d

relative density, thickness, distance apart

E

energy, electric field strength, electromotive force. E_k kinetic energy, E_p potential energy, E₀peak e.m.f.

e

charge on electron (or proton), an electron

F

Faraday constant, force

f

frequency, focal length

G

free energy (ΔG), conductance

g

acceleration due to gravity

H

magnetic field strength, magnetizing force, heat of reaction (ΔH)

h

height

I

intensity of radiation, electric current

a

peak current

i

angle of incidence

k

a constant

L

self-inductance, latent heat, Avogadro constant

Lm

molar latent heat

I

length, specific latent heat

M

mutual inductance, molar solution

т

mass, electromagnetic moment, magnification

N

number of molecules, neutron number

N_A

Avogadro constant

N

a number, refractive index, number of moles, a neutron

P

power

p

pressure, order of a spectrum, a proton

Q

electric charge

q

quantity of heat

R

resistance

R_A

anode slope resistance, molar gas constant

r

angle of refraction, gas constant (nR), radius

s

distance along a path, slit separation

Т

period, thermodynamic (absolute) temperature, torque, tension, turns ratio

t

time

t_s

half-life

u

initial velocity, velocity of molecules, object distance

V

volume, electrical potential, potential difference

V_m

molar volume

V

velocity, image distance, velocity of sound

W

weight

w

work

X

reactance

z

atomic number

z

charge on ion, electrochemical equivalent

α

an angle

Δ

an increment (finite)

ε

permittivity

η

efficiency

θ

temperature (Celsius), temperature difference, an angle, Bragg angle

λ

wavelength, decay constant

μ

permeability, amplification factor

π

ratio of circumference to diameter of circle

ρ

density, resistivity

Ф

magnetic flux

φ

an angle

ω

angular velocity