The University of British Columbia - Department of Physics and Astronomy

GREEK

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Web version by Jess H. Brewer

Greek characters commonly used in Physics:

(Not all usages are shown.)

Capital Greek letters that look Roman are omitted.

$\alpha $    fine structure constant; an angle.
$ \beta $    v/c; an angle; $1/k_{_{\rm B}} T$.
$\Gamma$    torque; a rate.
$\gamma $    E/mc2; an angle.
$\Delta$    "change in . . . ", as in $\Delta x$.
$\delta $    an infinitesimal; like $\Delta$ but smaller.
$\epsilon$    an infinitesimal quantity; permittivity
$\varepsilon$    a small energy.
$\zeta$    a general parameter.
$\eta $    index of refraction; a meson.
$\Theta$    an angle; Debye temperature.
$\theta $    an angle (most common symbol).
$\kappa $    dielectric constant; thermal conductivity.
$\Lambda$    a rate; a type of baryon.
$\lambda $    wavelength; a rate; linear density.
$\mu $    reduced mass; muon; prefix micro-.
$\nu $    frequency in cycles/s (Hz); neutrino.
$\Xi $    a type of baryon.
$\xi $    a general parameter; coherence length.
$\Pi $    product operator.
$\pi $    3.14159$\cdots$ ; pion (a meson).
$\rho $    density per unit volume; resistivity.
$\Sigma$    summation operator.
$\sigma $    cross section; areal density; conductivity.
$\tau $    a mean lifetime; time; $k_{_{\rm B}} T$; tau lepton.
$\Upsilon$    an elementary particle.
$\upsilon $    rarely used (looks like v).
$\Phi $    a wave function; an angle.
$\phi $    an angle; a wave function.
$\varphi$    electrostatic potential.
$\chi $    susceptibility.
$ \Psi$    a wave function.
$\psi $    a wave function.
$\Omega$    solid angle; angular frequency; a baryon.
$\omega $    angular frequency (radians/s); a meson.



The Greek alphabet:

UPPER CASE     lower case
         
Alpha A   alpha $\alpha $
Beta B   beta $ \beta $
Gamma $\Gamma$   gamma $\gamma $
Delta $\Delta$   delta $\delta $
Epsilon E   epsilon $\epsilon$
Zeta Z   zeta $\zeta$
Eta H   eta $\eta $
Theta $\Theta$   theta $\theta $
Iota I   iota $\iota $
Kappa K   kappa $\kappa $
Lambda $\Lambda$   lambda $\lambda $
Mu M   mu $\mu $
Nu N   nu $\nu $
Xi $\Xi $   xi $\xi $
Omicron O   omicron o
Pi $\Pi $   pi $\pi $
Rho R   rho $\rho $
Sigma $\Sigma$   sigma $\sigma $
Tau T   tau $\tau $
Upsilon $\Upsilon$   upsilon $\upsilon $
Phi $\Phi $   phi $\phi $
Chi X   chi $\chi $
Psi $ \Psi$   psi $\psi $
Omega $\Omega$   omega $\omega $