fundamental physical constants



a  radiation density constant  7.55 x 10-16 J m-3 K-4
c  velocity of light  3.00 x 108 m s-1
G  gravitational constant  6.67 x 10-11 N m2 kg-2
h  Planck's constant  6.62 x 10-34 J s 
k  Boltzmann's constant  1.38 x 10-23 J K-1
me  mass of electron  9.11 x 10-31 kg 
mH  mass of hydrogen atom  1.67 x 10-27 kg 
NA  Avogadro's number  6.02 x 1023 mol-1
Stefan Boltzmann constant  5.67 x 10-8 W m-2 K-4
R   gas constant (k/mH)  8.26 x 103 J K-1 kg-1 
e   charge of electron  1.60 x 10-19 C 




astronomical quantities



L  luminosity of Sun  3.86 x 1026 W
M  mass of Sun  1.99 x 1030 kg
r  radius of Sun  6.96 x 108 m
Te  effective temperature of Sun  5780  K
parsec  (unit of distance)  3.09 x 1016 m




symbols



a  acceleration 
A, Z, N  nuclear mass number, charge number, neutron number 
B  magnetic induction 
B Planck function  
cp, cv specific heat at constant pressure, constant volume  
d, d* distance, stellar  
d  deuteron  
e-, e+  electron, positron  
E  energy  
f  velocity distribution function  
f(M)  initial mass function  
Fcond, Frad conductive, radiative flux  
g  acceleration due to gravity  
h  angular momentum per unit mass  
Hp pressure scale height  
i  inclination of orbit  
I intensity of radiation  
j emission coefficient  
l  apparent luminosity, mixing length, mean free path  
L, Ls, Lrad, Lconv, Lcond luminosity, total, radiative, convective, conductive  
m  apparent magnitude, fractional mass, particle mass  
M, MV, Mbol absolute magnitude, visual, bolometric  
M, Ms, Mcrit, Mcc, Mce mass, total, critical, convective core, convective envelope  
n  number density  
nf number of degrees of freedom  
n  neutron  
O, B, A, F, G, K, M   spectral types of stars  
p  momentum  
p  proton  
P, Pc, Ps, Pgas, Prad pressure, central, surface, gas, radiation  
P  period of orbit  
q  charge on nucleus  
Q  binding energy of nucleus  
r, rs radius, total  
R  Rayleigh number  
RSch Schwarzschild radius  
t, td, tth, tn time, dynamical, thermal, nuclear  
T, Te, Tc, Tav temperature, effective, central, mean  
u  thermal energy per unit mass  
U  total thermal energy  
UBV  stellar magnitudes  
v, vesc, vav velocity, escape, mean  
v  volume per unit mass  
V  volume, potential energy  
x  position  
X, Y, Z  mass fraction of hydrogen, helium, heavy elements  
  helium 4 nucleus (alpha particle)  
  ratio of specific heats  
  photon  
, ad PdT/Tdp, adiabatic value  
, pp, CN, 3He energy release, proton-proton, carbon-nitrogen, helium  
,  ,   exponents in laws of energy release and opacity  
, s, rad, cond opacity, surface, radiative, conductive  
absorption coefficient  
  wavelength  
cond, rad thermal conductivity, radiative  
  mean molecular weight  
  frequency  
e, anti neutrino, antineutrino  
, c, av density, central, mean  
scattering coefficient  
  surface density of disk  
  Roche potential  
  angular velocity  
p plasma frequency  
  gravitational potential energy  

The subscript refers to solar values.