Physics Symbols and Their Names

On Jan 18, 2020

Physics Symbols: All Physics Symbols and Their Names Pdf are covered in this page, we are also providing Greek Symbols in Physics and there units and quantity.

Physics Symbols and Their Names

List of Physics Symbols and Their Names

Symbols used to denote physical quantities related to space and time:

Symbol	Quantity/ Coefficients	S.I Unit
r	Radius, the radius of curvature	Meter
s	Displacement	Meter
d	Distance	Radian
θ, φ	Angular displacement, angular separation, the rotational angle	Meter
x, y, z	Cartesian coordinates	Unitless
î, ĵ, k̂	Cartesian unit vectors	Unitless
r, θ, φ	Spherical coordinates	Meter/Radian
r̂, θ̂, φ̂	Spherical unit vectors	Unitless
r, θ, z	Cylindrical coordinates	Meter/Radian
r̂, θ̂, ẑ	Cylindrical unit vectors	Unitless
n̂	Normal unit vector	Unitless
t̂	Tangential unit vector	Unitless
h	Height, depth	Meter
ℓ, L	Length	Meter
t	Time	Second
D	Diameter	Meter
C	Circumference	Meter
A, A	Area	Square meter
V	Volume	Cubic meter
t	Time, duration	Second
T	Periodic time	Second
τ	Time Constant	Second
f	Frequency	Hertz
ω	Angular frequency	Radian per second

Symbols used to denote physical quantities related to Mechanics:

Symbol	Quantity/ Coefficients	S.I Unit
v	Velocity, speed	meter per second
a	Acceleration	meter per second squared
a_c	Centripetal/Centrifugal acceleration	meter per second squared
g	Acceleration due to gravity	meter per second squared
m	Mass	Kilogram
F	Force	Newton
F_g/W	Force due to gravity/Weight	Newton
F_n, N	Normal force, normal	Newton
F_f	Force of friction	Newton
µ	Coefficient of friction	Unitless
p	Momentum	Kilogram meter per second
J	Impulse	Newton second
E	Energy	Joule
K	Kinetic energy	Joule
U	Potential energy	Joule
V_g	Gravitational potential	Joule per kilogram
η	Efficiency	Unitless
P	Power	Watt
ω	Rotational speed, rotational velocity	Radian per second
α	Rotational acceleration	Radian per second squared
τ	Torque	Newton meter
I	Moment of inertia	Kilogram meter squared
L	Angular momentum	Kilogram meter squared per second
H	Angular impulse	Newton meter second
k	Spring constant	Newton per meter
p	Pressure	Pascal
σ	Stress	Pascal
τ	Shear stress	Pascal
ρ	Density, volume mass density	Kilogram per cubic meter
σ	Area mass density	Kilogram per square meter
λ	Linear mass density	Kilogram per meter
F_B, B	Buoyancy	Newton
q_m	Mass flow rate	Kilogram per second
q_V	Volume flow rate	Cubic meter per second
F_D, R	Drag or air resistance	Newton
C_D	Drag coefficient	Unitless
η	Viscosi	Pascal-second
ν	Kinematic viscosity	Square meter per second
Ma	Mach number	Unitless
Re	Reynolds number	Unitless
Fr	Froude number	Unitless
E	Young’s modulus of elasticity	Pascal
G	Shear modulus of rigidity	Pascal
K	Bulk modulus of compression	Pascal
ε	Linear strain	Unitless
γ	Shear strain	Unitless
θ	Volume strain	Unitless
γ	Surface tension	Newton per meter

Symbols used to denote physical quantities related to thermal physics:

Symbol	Quantity/Coefficients	S.I Unit
COP	Coefficient of performance	Unitless
w	Ways, number of identical microstates	Unitless
S	Entropy	Joule per kelvin
U	Internal energy	Joule
ε	Emissivity	Unitless
k	Thermal conductivity	Watt per meter Kelvin
P	Heat flow rate	Watt
N	Number of particles	Unitless
n	Amount of substance	Mole
L	Latent heat/specific latent heat	Joule per kilogram
c	Specific heat capacity	Joule per kilogram Kelvin
Q	Heat	Joule
Β	Volume expansivity, coefficient of volume thermal expansion	Inverse kelvin
α	Linear expansivity, coefficient of thermal expansion	Inverse kelvin
T	Temperature	Kelvin

Symbols used to denote physical quantities related to Waves and Optics:

Symbol	Quantity/Coefficients	S.I Unit
M	Magnification	Unitless
f	Focal length	Meter
n	Index of refraction	Unitless
L	Level	Decibel, decineper
I	Intensity	Watt per square meter
v, c	Wave speed	Meter per second
λ	Wavelength	Meter
P	Power of a lens	Dioptre

Symbols used to denote physical quantities related to Electricity and Magnetism:

Symbol	Quantity/Coefficients	S.I Unit
S	Poynting vector, intensity	Watt per square meter
η	Energy density	Joule per cubic meter
n	Turns per unit length	Inverse meter
N	Number of turns	Unitless
Φ_B	Magnetic flux	Weber
B	Magnetic field	Tesla
F_B	Magnetic force	Newton
σ	Conductivity	Siemens per meter
G	Conductance	Siemens
ρ	Resistivity	Ohm-meter
R, r	Electric resistance/internal resistance	Ohm
I	Electric current	Ampere
ϵ	Dielectric constant	Unitless
C	Capacitance	Farad
ℰ	Electromotive force (emf)	Volt
V	voltage, electric potential	Volt
U_E	Electric potential energy	Joule
Φ_E	Electric flux	Newton meter squared per coulomb
E	Electric field	Newton per coulomb/volt per meter
F_E	Electrostatic force	Newton
λ	Linear charge density	Kilogram per meter
σ	Area charge density	Kilogram per square meter
ρ	Volume charge density	Kilogram per cubic meter
q, Q	Electric charge	Coulomb

Symbols used in modern physics:

Symbol	Quantity/Coefficients	S.I Unit
D	Dose/ dose absorbed	gray
	Half-life	Second
ψ(r,t), ψ(r)φ(t)	Wave function	Unitless
Φ	Work function	Joule
H	Effective dose	Sievert
Γ	Lorentz factor/Lorentz gamma	Unitless

Physics