Module rgsl::physical_constant [] [src]

Physical Constants

This chapter describes macros for the values of physical constants, such as the speed of light, c, and gravitational constant, G. The values are available in different unit systems, including the standard MKSA system (meters, kilograms, seconds, amperes) and the CGSM system (centimeters, grams, seconds, gauss), which is commonly used in Astronomy.

References and Further Reading

The authoritative sources for physical constants are the 2006 CODATA recommended values, published in the article below. Further information on the values of physical constants is also available from the NIST website.

P.J. Mohr, B.N. Taylor, D.B. Newell, “CODATA Recommended Values of the Fundamental Physical Constants: 2006”, Reviews of Modern Physics, 80(2), pp. 633–730 (2008).

http://www.physics.nist.gov/cuu/Constants/index.html http://physics.nist.gov/Pubs/SP811/appenB9.html

Statics

MKSA_ACRE

The area of 1 acre. m2

MKSA_ANGSTROM

The length of 1 angstrom. m

MKSA_ASTRONOMICAL_UNIT

The length of 1 astronomical unit (mean earth-sun distance), au. m

MKSA_BAR

The pressure of 1 bar. kg / m s2

MKSA_BARN

The area of 1 barn. m2

MKSA_BOHR_MAGNETON

The Bohr Magneton, \mu_B. A m2

MKSA_BOHR_RADIUS

The Bohr radius, a_0. m

MKSA_BOLTZMANN

The Boltzmann constant, k. kg m2 / K s2

MKSA_BTU

The energy of 1 British Thermal Unit, btu. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_CALORIE

The energy of 1 calorie. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_CANADIAN_GALLON

The volume of 1 Canadian gallon. m3

MKSA_CARAT

The mass of 1 carat. kg

MKSA_CUP

m3

MKSA_CURIE

The activity of 1 curie. 1 / s

MKSA_DAY

The number of seconds in 1 day. s

MKSA_DEBYE

The electric dipole moment of 1 Debye, D. A s2 / m2

MKSA_DYNE

The force of 1 Dyne = 10-5 Newton. kg m / s2

MKSA_ELECTRON_CHARGE

The charge of the electron, e. A s

MKSA_ELECTRON_MAGNETIC_MOMENT

The absolute value of the magnetic moment of the electron, \mu_e. The physical magnetic moment of the electron is negative. A m2

MKSA_ELECTRON_VOLT

The energy of 1 electron volt, eV. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_ERG

The energy 1 erg = 10-7 Joule. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_FARADAY

The molar charge of 1 Faraday. A s / mol

MKSA_FATHOM

The length of 1 fathom. m

MKSA_FOOT

The length of 1 foot. m

MKSA_FOOTCANDLE

The illuminance of 1 footcandle. cd sr / m2

MKSA_FOOTLAMBERT

The luminance of 1 footlambert. cd sr / m2

MKSA_GAUSS

The magnetic field of 1 Gauss. kg / A s2

MKSA_GRAM_FORCE

The force of 1 gram weight. kg m / s2

MKSA_GRAVITATIONAL_CONSTANT

The gravitational constant, G. m3 / kg s2

MKSA_GRAV_ACCEL

The standard gravitational acceleration on Earth, g. m / s2

MKSA_HECTARE

The area of 1 hectare. m2

MKSA_HORSEPOWER

The power of 1 horsepower. kg m2 / s3

MKSA_HOUR

The number of seconds in 1 hour. s

MKSA_INCH

The length of 1 inch. m

MKSA_INCH_OF_MERCURY

The pressure of 1 inch of mercury. kg / m s2

MKSA_INCH_OF_WATER

The pressure of 1 inch of water. kg / m s2

MKSA_JOULE

The SI unit of energy, 1 Joule. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_KILOMETERS_PER_HOUR

The speed of 1 kilometer per hour. m / s

MKSA_KILOPOUND_FORCE

The force of 1 kilopound weight. kg m / s2

MKSA_KNOT

The speed of 1 knot. m / s

MKSA_LAMBERT

The luminance of 1 lambert. cd sr / m2

MKSA_LIGHT_YEAR

The distance of 1 light-year, ly. m

MKSA_LITER

The volume of 1 liter. m3

MKSA_LUMEN

The luminous flux of 1 lumen. cd sr

MKSA_LUX

The illuminance of 1 lux. cd sr / m2

MKSA_MASS_ELECTRON

The mass of the electron, m_e. kg

MKSA_MASS_MUON

The mass of the muon, m_\mu. kg

MKSA_MASS_NEUTRON

The mass of the neutron, m_n. kg

MKSA_MASS_PROTON

The mass of the proton, m_p. kg

MKSA_METER_OF_MERCURY

The pressure of 1 meter of mercury. kg / m s2

MKSA_METRIC_TON

The mass of 1 metric ton (1000 kg). kg

MKSA_MICRON

The length of 1 micron. m

MKSA_MIL

The length of 1 mil (1/1000th of an inch). m

MKSA_MILE

The length of 1 mile. m

MKSA_MILES_PER_HOUR

The speed of 1 mile per hour. m / s

MKSA_MINUTE

The number of seconds in 1 minute. s

MKSA_MOLAR_GAS

The molar gas constant, R_0. kg m2 / K mol s2

MKSA_NAUTICAL_MILE

The length of 1 nautical mile. m

MKSA_NEWTON

The SI unit of force, 1 Newton. kg m / s2

MKSA_NUCLEAR_MAGNETON

The Nuclear Magneton, \mu_N. A m2

MKSA_OUNCE_MASS

The mass of 1 ounce. kg

MKSA_PARSEC

The distance of 1 parsec, pc. m

MKSA_PHOT

The illuminance of 1 phot. cd sr / m2

MKSA_PINT

The volume of 1 pint. m3

MKSA_PLANCKS_CONSTANT_H

Planck’s constant, h. kg m2 / s

MKSA_PLANCKS_CONSTANT_HBAR

Planck’s constant divided by 2\pi, \hbar. kg m2 / s

MKSA_POINT

The length of 1 printer’s point (1/72 inch). m

MKSA_POISE

The dynamic viscosity of 1 poise. kg m-1 s-1

MKSA_POUNDAL

The force of 1 poundal. kg m / s2

MKSA_POUND_FORCE

The force of 1 pound weight. kg m / s2

MKSA_POUND_MASS

The mass of 1 pound. kg

MKSA_PROTON_MAGNETIC_MOMENT

The magnetic moment of the proton, \mu_p. A m2

MKSA_PSI

The pressure of 1 pound per square inch. kg / m s2

MKSA_QUART

The volume of 1 quart. m3

MKSA_RAD

The absorbed dose of 1 rad. m2 / s2

MKSA_ROENTGEN

The exposure of 1 roentgen. A s / kg

MKSA_RYDBERG

The Rydberg constant, Ry, in units of energy. This is related to the Rydberg inverse wavelength R_\infty by Ry = h c R_\infty. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_SOLAR_MASS

The mass of the Sun. kg

MKSA_SPEED_OF_LIGHT

The speed of light in vacuum, c. m / s

MKSA_STANDARD_GAS_VOLUME

The standard gas volume, V_0. m3 / mol

MKSA_STD_ATMOSPHERE

The pressure of 1 standard atmosphere. kg / m s2

MKSA_STEFAN_BOLTZMANN_CONSTANT

The Stefan-Boltzmann radiation constant, \sigma. kg / K4 s3

MKSA_STILB

The luminance of 1 stilb. cd / m2

MKSA_STOKES

The kinematic viscosity of 1 stokes. m2 / s

MKSA_TEXPOINT

The length of 1 TeX point (1/72.27 inch). m

MKSA_THERM

The energy of 1 Therm. kg m2 / s2

MKSA_THOMSON_CROSS_SECTION

The Thomson cross section, \sigma_T. m2

MKSA_TON

The mass of 1 ton. kg

MKSA_TORR

The pressure of 1 torr. kg / m s2

MKSA_TROY_OUNCE

The mass of 1 troy ounce. kg

MKSA_UK_GALLON

The volume of 1 UK gallon. m3

MKSA_UK_TON

The mass of 1 UK ton. kg

MKSA_UNIFIED_ATOMIC_MASS

The unified atomic mass, amu. kg

MKSA_US_GALLON

The volume of 1 US gallon. m3

MKSA_VACUUM_PERMEABILITY

The permeability of free space, \mu_0. This constant is defined in the MKSA system only. kg m / A2 s2

MKSA_VACUUM_PERMITTIVITY

The permittivity of free space, \epsilon_0. This constant is defined in the MKSA system only. A2 s4 / kg m3

MKSA_WEEK

The number of seconds in 1 week. s

MKSA_YARD

The length of 1 yard. m

NUM_ATTO

10-18

NUM_AVOGADRO

Avogadro’s number, N_a. 1 / mol

NUM_EXA

1018

NUM_FEMTO

10-15

NUM_FINE_STRUCTURE

The electromagnetic fine structure constant \alpha. 1

NUM_GIGA

109

NUM_KILO

103

NUM_MEGA

106

NUM_MICRO

10-6

NUM_MILLI

10-3

NUM_NANO

10-9

NUM_PETA

1015

NUM_PICO

10-12

NUM_TERA

1012

NUM_YOCTO

10-24

NUM_YOTTA

1024

NUM_ZEPTO

10-21

NUM_ZETTA

1021