a

acceleration (m/s2)

A

ampere (S.I. unit of current, fundamental)

A

amplitude (typically m)

B

magnetic field (T)

B

bulk modulus (N/m2)

c

specific heat capacity (J/(kg*K))

c

speed of light (m/s)

C

molar heat capacity (J/(mol*K))

C

coulomb (S.I. unit of charge = A*s)

cal

calorie (non-S.I. unit of energy = 4.186 J)

Cal

Calorie or kcal (non-S.I. unit of energy = 4186 J)

d

distance (m)

dB

decibels (non-S.I. unit of intensity)

e

magnitude of charge of an electron (C)

e

efficiency (dimensionless)

eV

electron-Volt (non-S.I. unit of energy = 1.60E-19 J)

E

energy (J)

E

electric field (N/C)

f

frequency (Hz. or s-1)

f

friction force (N)

f

focal length (m)

F

force (N)

F

farad, S.I. unit of capacitance = A2*s4/(kg*m2)

g

magnitude of free fall acceleration ≈ 9.80 m/s2

g

gram (non-S.I. unit of mass = 0.001 kg)

G

universal gravitational constant

h

Plank’s constant (6.63E-34 J*s)

h

height (m)

Hz

hertz, S.I. unit of frequency = s-1

i, I

current (A)

I

moment of inertia, kg*m2

I

intensity, W/m2

j

current density, A/m2

j

impulse, kg*m/s

J

joule, S.I. unit of energy = kg*m2/s2

k

Boltzmann’s constant, J/K

k

spring constant, N/m

k

thermal conductivity, W/(m*K)

k

wave number, rad/m

kg

kilogram, S.I. unit of mass, fundamental

K

kelvin, S.I. unit of temperature, fundamental

K

kinetic energy, J

l

length, m

L

liter, non-S.I. unit of volume

L

latent heat, J/kg

L

angular momentum (J*s)

m

mass, kg

m

meter (S.I. unit of distance)

n

index of refraction (dimensionless)

n

number of moles

N

number of particles

N

newton (S.I. unit of force = kg*m/s2)

N

normal force (N)

NA

Avogadro’s number

p

momentum (kg*m/s)

p, P

pressure (Pa = N/m2 = kg/(m*s2)

P

power (W)

q, Q

charge (C)

Q

heat (J)

r

radius variable (m)

R

fixed radius (m)

R

ideal gas constant (8.31 J/(mol*K))

R

resistance (Ω)

s

seconds (S.I. unit of time)

s

generic position, could be x, y, or z (m)

S

entropy (J/K)

t

time (s)

T

period (s)

T

temperature (K)

T

tension force (N)

T

tesla (S.I. unit of magnetic field)

u

atomic mass unit, non-S.I. unit of mass

u

energy density (J/m3)

U

potential energy (J)

v, v

velocity, speed (m/s)

V

volt (S.I. unit of potential)

V

potential (V)

V

voltage or potential difference (V), more correctly written as ΔV

V

volume (m3)

w, W

weight force (N)

W

watt (S.I. unit of power = kg*m2/s3)

W

work (J)

x

Cartesian coordinate (m)

y

Cartesian coordinate (m)

Y

Young’s modulus (N/m2)

z

Cartesian coordinate (m)

α

alpha

angular acceleration (rad/s2)

α

alpha

temperature coefficient of linear expansion (K-1)

β

beta

temperature coefficient of volume expansion (K-1)

γ

gamma

ratio of heat capacities (dimensionless)

γ

gamma

relativistic gamma factor (dimensionless)

Γ

gamma (capital)

δ

delta

instantaneous change

Δ

delta (capital)

finite change

ε

epsilon

permittivity

ζ

zeta

η

eta

efficiency (dimensionless)

θ

theta

angle (rad)

Θ

theta (capital)

ι

iota

κ

kappa

dielectric constant (dimensionless)

λ

lambda

wavelength (m)

Λ

lambda (capital)

μ

mu

coefficient of friction (dimensionless)

ν

nu

ξ

xi

Ξ

xi (capital)

π

pi

circumference/diameter ratio (dimensionless)

Π

pi (capital)

series product

ρ

rho

density (kg/m3)

ρ

rho

resistivity (Ω*m)

σ

sigma

Stefan-Boltzmann constant

Σ

sigma (capital)

series summation

τ

tau

torque (N x m)

τ

tau

time constant (s)

υ

upsilon

φ

phi

angle (rad)

Φ

phi (capital)

χ

chi

ψ

psi

psychic power (W)

ψ

psi

wave function (dimensionless)

Ψ

psi (capital)

wave function (dimensionless)

ω

omega

angular velocity (rad/s)

Ω

omega (capital)

ohms (S.I. unit of resistance = V/A)

av or ave

average

c

cold

f

final

h

hot

i

initial

max

maximum

min

minimum

0

initial

rms

root mean square

th

thermal

tot

total

equal by definition

_

subscript

^

superscript

sqrt

square root

E

*10^