Mastering Physical Constants

Physical Constants

• A physical constant is a physical quantity that is generally believed to be both universal in nature and constant in time.
• Physical constants are key in formulating physical laws and theories that describe the behavior of the universe.

Differences between Physical and Mathematical Constants

• Physical constants are measurable quantities in nature, with dimensions and specific values, such as the speed of light or gravitational constant.
• Mathematical constants, like π (pi) or e (Euler's number), are purely numerical values that arise from mathematical relationships and have no dependence on physical measurement.

Widely Recognized Physical Constants

• Speed of light in vacuum (c): approximately 299,792,458 meters per second.
• Gravitational constant (G): approximately 6.674 × 10⁻¹¹ N(m/kg)².
• Planck's constant (h): approximately 6.626 × 10⁻³⁴ J·s.
• Elementary charge (e): approximately 1.602 × 10⁻¹⁹ coulombs.
• Boltzmann constant (k): approximately 1.381 × 10⁻²³ J/K.

Dimension of the Speed of Light

• The dimension of the speed of light in vacuum is represented as length per time, typically in meters per second (m/s).

Fundamental Physical Constant

• A fundamental physical constant is a physical constant that has universal significance and appears in fundamental equations of physics, indicating natural laws and principles that apply throughout the universe.