Appendix C: Useful Information

This appendix is broken into several tables.

Table C1 Important Constants[1]
SymbolMeaningBest ValueApproximate Value
c Speed of light in vacuum 2 . 99792458 × 10 8 m / s 3 . 00 × 10 8 m / s
G Gravitational constant 6 . 67408 ( 31 ) × 10 − 11 N ⋅ m 2 / kg 2 6 . 67 × 10 − 11 N ⋅ m 2 / kg 2
N A Avogadro’s number 6.02214076 × 10 23 6 . 02 × 10 23
k Boltzmann’s constant 1.380649 × 10 − 23 J / K 1 . 38 × 10 − 23 J / K
R Gas constant 8.3144621 ( 75 ) J / mol ⋅ K 8.31 J/mol ⋅ K = 1.99 cal/mol ⋅ K = 0.0821 atm ⋅ L/mol ⋅ K
σ Stefan-Boltzmann constant 5 . 670373 ( 21 ) × 10 − 8 W / m 2 ⋅ K 5 . 67 × 10 − 8 W / m 2 ⋅ K
k Coulomb force constant 8 . 987551788 . . . × 10 9 N ⋅ m 2 / C 2 8.99 × 10 9 N ⋅ m 2 / C 2
q e Charge on electron − 1.602176634 × 10 − 19 C − 1 . 60 × 10 − 19 C
ε 0 Permittivity of free space 8 . 854187817 . . . × 10 − 12 C 2 / N ⋅ m 2 8 . 85 × 10 − 12 C 2 / N ⋅ m 2
μ 0 Permeability of free space 4π × 10 − 7 T ⋅ m / A 1 . 26 × 10 − 6 T ⋅ m / A
h Planck’s constant 6.62607015 × 10 − 34 J ⋅ s 6 . 63 × 10 − 34 J ⋅ s
Table C2 Submicroscopic Masses[2]
SymbolMeaningBest ValueApproximate Value
m e Electron mass 9 . 10938291 ( 40 ) × 10 − 31 kg 9 . 11 × 10 − 31 kg
m p Proton mass 1 . 672621777 ( 74 ) × 10 − 27 kg 1 . 6726 × 10 − 27 kg
m n Neutron mass 1 . 674927351 ( 74 ) × 10 − 27 kg 1 . 6749 × 10 − 27 kg
u Atomic mass unit 1 . 660538921 ( 73 ) × 10 − 27 kg 1 . 6605 × 10 − 27 kg
Table C3 Solar System Data
Sun mass 1 . 99 × 10 30 kg
average radius 6 . 96 × 10 8 m
Earth-sun distance (average) 1 . 496 × 10 11 m
Earth mass 5 . 9736 × 10 24 kg
average radius 6 . 376 × 10 6 m
orbital period 3 . 16 × 10 7 s
Moon mass 7 . 35 × 10 22 kg
average radius 1 . 74 × 10 6 m
orbital period (average) 2 . 36 × 10 6 s
Earth-moon distance (average) 3 . 84 × 10 8 m
Table C4 Metric Prefixes for Powers of Ten and Their Symbols
PrefixSymbolValuePrefixSymbolValue
teraT 10 12 decid 10 − 1
gigaG 10 9 centic 10 − 2
megaM 10 6 millim 10 − 3
kilok 10 3 micro μ 10 − 6
hectoh 10 2 nanon 10 − 9
dekada 10 1 picop 10 − 12
—— 10 0 ( = 1 ) femtof 10 − 15
Table C5 The Greek Alphabet
Alpha Α α Eta Η η Nu Ν ν Tau Τ τ
Beta Β β Theta Θ θ Xi Ξ ξ Upsilon Υ υ
Gamma Γ γ Iota Ι ι Omicron Ο ο Phi Φ ϕ
Delta Δ δ Kappa Κ κ Pi Π π Chi Χ χ
Epsilon Ε ε Lambda Λ λ Rho Ρ ρ Psi Ψ ψ
Zeta Ζ ζ Mu Μ μ Sigma Σ σ Omega Ω ω
Table C6 SI Units
EntityAbbreviationName
Fundamental units Lengthmmeter
Masskgkilogram
Timessecond
CurrentAampere
Supplementary unit Angleradradian
Derived units Force N = kg ⋅ m / s 2 newton
Energy J = kg ⋅ m 2 / s 2 joule
Power W = J / s watt
Pressure Pa = N / m 2 pascal
Frequency Hz = 1 / s hertz
Electronic potential V = J / C volt
Capacitance F = C / V farad
Charge C = s ⋅ A coulomb
Resistance Ω = V / A ohm
Magnetic field T = N / A ⋅ m tesla
Nuclear decay rate Bq = 1 / s becquerel
Table C7 Selected British Units
Length 1 inch ( in . ) = 2 . 54 cm ( exactly )
1 foot ( ft ) = 0 . 3048 m
1 mile ( mi ) = 1 . 609 km
Force 1 pound ( lb ) = 4 . 448 N
Energy 1 British thermal unit ( Btu ) = 1 . 055 × 10 3 J
Power 1 horsepower ( hp ) = 746 W
Pressure 1 lb / in 2 = 6 . 895 × 10 3 Pa
Table C8 Other Units
Length 1 light year ( ly ) = 9 . 46 × 10 15 m
1 astronomical unit ( au ) = 1 . 50 × 10 11 m
1 nautical mile = 1 . 852 km
1 angstrom ( Å ) = 10 − 10 m
Area 1 acre ( ac ) = 4 . 05 × 10 3 m 2
1 square foot ( ft 2 ) = 9 . 29 × 10 − 2 m 2
1 barn ( b ) = 10 − 28 m 2
Volume 1 liter ( L ) = 10 − 3 m 3
1 U.S. gallon ( gal ) = 3 . 785 × 10 − 3 m 3
Mass 1 solar mass = 1 . 99 × 10 30 kg
1 metric ton = 10 3 kg
1 atomic mass unit ( u ) = 1 . 6605 × 10 − 27 kg
Time 1 year ( y ) = 3 . 16 × 10 7 s
1 day ( d ) = 86 , 400 s
Speed 1 mile per hour ( mph ) = 1 . 609 km / h
1 nautical mile per hour ( naut ) = 1 . 852 km / h
Angle 1 degree ( ° ) = 1 . 745 × 10 − 2 rad
1 minute of arc ( ' ) = 1 / 60 degree
1 second of arc ( '' ) = 1 / 60 minute of arc
1 grad = 1 . 571 × 10 − 2 rad
Energy 1 kiloton TNT ( kT ) = 4 . 2 × 10 12 J
1 kilowatt hour ( kW ⋅ h ) = 3 . 60 × 10 6 J
1 food calorie ( kcal ) = 4186 J
1 calorie ( cal ) = 4 . 186 J
1 electron volt ( eV ) = 1 . 60 × 10 − 19 J
Pressure 1 atmosphere ( atm ) = 1 . 013 × 10 5 Pa
1 millimeter of mercury ( mm Hg ) = 133 . 3 Pa
1 torricelli ( torr ) = 1 mm Hg = 133 . 3 Pa
Nuclear decay rate 1 curie ( Ci ) = 3 . 70 × 10 10 Bq
Table C9 Useful Formulae
Circumference of a circle with radius r or diameter d C = 2 πr = πd
Area of a circle with radius r or diameter d A = πr 2 = πd 2 / 4
Area of a sphere with radius r A = 4 πr 2
Volume of a sphere with radius r V = 4 / 3 πr 3