Physics Symbols List
Physics Symbols frequently used in the text are listed below alphabetically. Some of the symbols may play a dual role, in which case the meaning should be obvious from the context. A number in parentheses refers to an Eq. number (or the text or footnote near that Eq. number) in which the symbol is defined or appears for the first time; in a few cases a page number, Table number, Sect. number, footnote (fn.) number, or Fig. number is given instead.
the symbols used for physical quantities are vastly different. Sometimes, the symbol may be the first letter of the physical quantities they represent, like ‘d’, which stands for distance. Other times, they may be completely unrelated to the name of the physical quantities, such as c symbolizes the speed of light. They may also be in the form of Greek characters, like λ, which stands for wavelength.
Physics Symbols List Class 12
| Physical Quantity | Symbol(s) | Symbol Name | Scalar/ Vector | SI Unit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mass | m | – | Scalar | Kilogram (Kg) |
| Time | t | – | Scalar | Seconds (s) |
| Distance, Length | l, d, r | – | Scalar | Meter (m) |
| Area | A | – | Scalar | m2 |
| Volume | V | – | Scalar | m3 |
| Density | D | – | Scalar | kg/m3 |
| Temperature | T | – | Scalar | Kelvin (K) |
| Frequency | f, v | – | Scalar | Hertz (Hz) |
| Heat | Q | – | Vector | Joule (J) |
| Specific Heat Capacity | c | – | Scalar | J kg−1 K−1 |
| Wavelength | λ | lambda | Scalar | meter (m) |
| Angular Displacement | θ | theta | Scalar | Radian (rad) |
| Speed of light & sound | c | – | Scalar | m/s |
| Angular frequency | ω | omega | Pseudovector | Radian per second (rad/s) |
| Velocity | v | – | Vector | m/s |
| Acceleration | a | – | Vector | meters per second squared (m/s2) |
| Angular acceleration | α | alpha | Vector | radian per second squared (rad/s2) |
| Momentum | p | – | Vector | kg⋅m/s |
| Period | T | – | Scalar | S or sec |
| Force | F | – | Vector | Newton (N) |
| Torque | T | tau | Vector | N⋅m |
| Power | P | – | Scalar | Watt (W) |
| Mechanical Work | W | – | Scalar | Joule (J) |
| Energy | E | – | Scalar | Joule (J) |
| Pressure | p | – | Scalar | Pascal (Pa) |
| Moment of Inertia | I | – | Scalar | kg m2 |
| Angular Momentum | L | – | Vector | kg⋅m2s-1 |
| Friction | f | – | Vector | Newton (N) |
| Coefficient of Friction | µ | mu | Scalar | unitless |
| Kinetic Energy | K | – | Scalar | Joule (J) |
| Potential Energy | U | – | Scalar | Joule (J) |
| Charge | q, Q | – | scalar | Coulomb (C) |
| Current | I | – | scalar | Ampere (A) |
| Resistance | R | – | scalar | Ohms (Ω) |
| Inductance | L | – | scalar | Henry (H) |
| Capacitance | C | – | scalar | Farad (F) |
| Electric Potential Difference | V | – | scalar | Volt (V) |
| Electric Field | E | – | vector | Newton per coulomb (N C-1) |
| Magnetic Field | B | – | scalar | Tesla |
You can download the Physics Symbols List PDF using the link given below.
