These are just a few of the abbreviations found in the field of physics. The language of physics uses many symbols and abbreviations to simplify complex concepts and equations.
General:
- SI: International System of Units
- CGS: Centimeter-Gram-Second (a system of units)
- kg: Kilogram (unit of mass)
- m: Meter (unit of length)
- s: Second (unit of time)
- W: Watt (unit of power)
- J: Joule (unit of energy)
- N: Newton (unit of force)
- Pa: Pascal (unit of pressure)
- C: Coulomb (unit of electric charge)
- V: Volt (unit of electric potential)
- A: Ampere (unit of electric current)
- Ω: Ohm (unit of electrical resistance)
- T: Tesla (unit of magnetic flux density)
- Bq: Becquerel (unit of radioactivity)
- Sv: Sievert (unit of radiation dose)
- Gy: Gray (unit of absorbed radiation dose)
Electromagnetism:
- EM: Electromagnetic
- EMF: Electromotive Force
- AC: Alternating Current
- DC: Direct Current
- RMS: Root Mean Square
- LC: Inductor-Capacitor (LC Circuit)
- L: Inductance
- C: Capacitance
- ÎĽ: Magnetic permeability
- ε: Electric permittivity
- E: Electric field
- B: Magnetic field
Quantum Mechanics & Particle Physics:
- QED: Quantum Electrodynamics
- QCD: Quantum Chromodynamics
- CERN: European Organization for Nuclear Research
- HUP: Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle
- SM: Standard Model
- CPT: Charge, Parity, Time symmetry
- Bohr Radius: a0a_0a0​ (a fundamental constant in atomic physics)
- MeV: Mega Electron Volt (unit of energy)
- GeV: Giga Electron Volt (unit of energy)
- Bose-Einstein Condensate: BEC
Thermodynamics:
- Δ: Change (often used with other symbols, like ΔT for change in temperature)
- Cp: Specific Heat at constant pressure
- Cv: Specific Heat at constant volume
- PV: Pressure-Volume (product, used in ideal gas law)
- k: Boltzmann constant
- R: Ideal Gas constant
- ΔH: Enthalpy change
- ΔS: Entropy change
- ΔG: Gibbs free energy change
Relativity:
- SR: Special Relativity
- GR: General Relativity
- Îł: Lorentz factor (related to time dilation)
- v: Velocity
- c: Speed of light (in a vacuum)
- MACH: Mach number (ratio of speed to speed of sound)
Nuclear Physics:
- n: Neutron
- p: Proton
- α: Alpha particle
- β: Beta particle
- Îł: Gamma radiation
- fission: Splitting of an atomic nucleus
- fusion: Fusing of atomic nuclei
Astrophysics:
- SN: Supernova
- NS: Neutron Star
- BH: Black Hole
- CMB: Cosmic Microwave Background
- GRB: Gamma-Ray Burst
- RG: Roche limit (in relation to orbital dynamics)
- Hubble’s constant: H0H_0H0​ (rate of expansion of the universe)
Image Source: https://mindthegraph.com/blog/abbreviations-in-scientific-papers/
