Physics – Symbols of Some Basic Quantities

The names of some basic physical quantities, their symbols, and units are given in the below table.

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Area A – Scalar m2
Angular Displacement θ theta Scalar Radian (rad)
Angular frequency ω omega Pseudovector rad/s
Density D – Scalar kg/m3
Distance d, r – Scalar Meter (m)
Length l – Scalar Meter (m)
Frequency f, v – Scalar Hertz (Hz)
Heat Q – Vector Joule (J)
Mass m – Scalar Kilogram (Kg)
Specific Heat Capacity c – Scalar Joules per Kg per Kelvin (J kg−1 K−1 )
Speed of light & sound c – Scalar m/s
Temperature T – Scalar Kelvin (K)
Time t – Scalar Seconds (s)
Volume V – Scalar m3
Wavelength λ lambda Scalar meter (m)
Check Important Notes for Unit of Acceleration

Physics – Symbols used in Electricity & Magnetism

The names of some physical quantities, their symbols, and units used in electricity and magnetism are given in the below table:

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Area charge density σ Sigma Scalar Kilogram per square meter
Capacitance C – Scalar Farad (F)
Charge q, Q – Scalar Coulomb (C)
Conductivity σ Sigma Scalar Siemens per meter
Conductance G - Scalar Siemens per meter
Dielectric constant ε� - Scalar (-) Unitless
Electric current I - Scalar Ampere
Electric Field E - Vector Newton per coulomb (N C-1)
 Electric flux ΦE - Functions as vector Newton meter squared per coulomb
Electric charge q, Q - Scalar Coulomb (C)
Energy density η - Scalar Joule per cubic meter
Electromotive force (emf) ξ� Epsilon Scalar Volt
Electric Potential Difference V – Scalar Volt (V)
Electric potential energy UE - Scalar Joule
Electrostatic force FE - Functions as vector Newton
Inductance L - Scalar Henry (H)
Linear charge density λ lambda Scalar Kilogram per meter
Magnetic force FB - Functions as vector Newton
Magnetic Field B - Scalar Tesla
Magnetic flux ΦB - Vector Weber
Number of turns N - Scalar (-) Unitless
Poynting vector, intensity S - Functions as vector Watt per square meter
Resistance/ Electric resistance / internal resistance R, r - Scalar Ohms (Ω)
Resistivity ρ - Scalar Ohm-meter (Ω-m)
Turns per unit length n - Scalar Inverse meter
voltage, electric potential V - Scalar Volt
Volume charge density ρ - Scalar Kilogram per cubic meter
Read More: Reflection of Light by Spherical Mirror

Physics – Symbols related to Space and Time

The names of some physical quantities used in Space and Time, their symbols, and units are given in the below table:

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Area A - Functions as both scalar and vector Square meter
Angular displacement, θ - Functions as both scalar and vector Meter
Angular separation, the rotational angle φ - Functions as both scalar and vector Meter
Angular frequency ω omega Scalar Radian per second
Cartesian coordinates x, y, z - Scalar Unitless
Cartesian unit vectors ^i�^, ^j�^, ^k�^ - Vector Unitless
Circumference C - Scalar Meter
Cylindrical coordinates r, θ, z - Scalar Meter/Radian
Cylindrical unit vectors ^r�^, ^θ�^, ^z�^ - Vector Unitless
 Diameter D - Scalar Meter
Displacement s - Vector Meter
Distance d - Scalar Radian
Frequency f - Scalar Hertz
Height, depth h - Scalar Meter
Length ℓℓ, L - Scalar Meter
Normal unit vector ^n�^ - Vector Unitless
Periodic time T - Scalar Second
Radius, the radius of curvature r - Functions as both scalar and vector Meter
Spherical coordinates r, θ, φ - Scalar Meter/Radian
Spherical unit vectors ^r�^, ^θ�^, ^ΦΦ^ - Vector Unitless
Tangential unit vector ^t�^ - Vector Unitless
Time Constant τ - Scalar Second
Time t - Scalar Second
Time, duration t - Scalar Second
Volume V - Scalar Cubic meter
Read Further Relation Between Critical Angle and Refractive Index

Physics – Symbols used in Mechanics

The names of some physical quantities used in Mechanics, their symbols, and units are given in the below table:

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Acceleration a - Vector meters per second square (m/s2)
Angular acceleration α alpha Vector radian per second square (rad/s2)
Angular Momentum L - Vector kg⋅m2s-1
Coefficient of Friction µ mu Scalar unitless
Energy E - Scalar Joule (J)
Force F - Vector Newton (N)
Friction f - Vector Newton (N)
Kinetic Energy K - Scalar Joule (J)
Mechanical Work W - Scalar Joule (J)
Momentum p - Vector Kg. m/s
Moment of Inertia I - Scalar kg m2
Period T - Scalar S or sec
Power P - Scalar Watt (W)
 Potential Energy U - Scalar Joule (J)
Pressure p - Scalar Pascal (Pa)
Torque T tau Vector Newton Meter (Nm)
Velocity v - Vector m/s
Young’s modulus of elasticity E - Scalar Pascal (Pa)
Read Also: Potentiometer

Physics – Symbols used in Waves and Optics:

The names of some physical quantities used in Waves and Optics, their symbols, and units are given in the below table:

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Focal length f - Scalar Meter
Intensity I - Scalar Watt per square meter
Index of refraction n - Scalar Unitless
Level L - Scalar Decibel
Power of a lens P - Scalar Dioptre
Wavelength λ lambda Scalar Meter
Wave speed v, c - Scalar Meter per second
Read More:

Ohm’s Law Resistors in Series and Parallel Combination

Physics –Symbols related to Thermal Physics

The names of some physical quantities used in Thermal Physics, their symbols, and units are given in the below table:

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Amount of substance n - Scalar Mole
Coefficient of performance COP - Scalar Unitless
Emissivity ε Epsilon Unitless Scalar
Entropy S - Scalar Joule per kelvin
Heat Q - Scalar Joule
Heat flow rate P - Scalar Watt
Internal energy U - Scalar Joule
Latent heat/specific llatent heat L - Scalar Joule per kilogram
 Linear expansivity, coefficient of thermal expansion α Alpha Scalar Inverse kelvin
Number of particles N - Scalar Unitless
Specific heat capacity c - Scalar Joule per kilogram Kelvin
Temperature T - Scalar Kelvin
Thermal conductivity k - Scalar Watt per meter Kelvin
Volume expansivity, coefficient of volume thermal expansion Β - Scalar Inverse kelvin
Ways, number of identical microstates w - Scalar Unitless
Read Further: Meter Bridge

Physics – Symbols related to Modern Physics

The names of some basic physical quantities, their symbols, and units are given in the below table.

Name of the Physical Quantity Symbol used to denote Name of the Symbol Scalar/ Vector Physical Quantity S.I Units of the Physical Quantity
Dose / Dose absorbed D Scalar gray
Effective dose H - Scalar Sievert
Lorentz factor / Lorentz gamma - gamma Scalar Unitless
Wave function ψ(r,t), ψ(r)φ(t) - Functions as vector Unitless
Work function Φ - Scalar Joule