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A mathematical constant is a key number whose value is fixed by an unambiguous definition, often referred to by a symbol (e.g., an alphabet letter), or by mathematicians' names to facilitate using it across multiple mathematical problems. [1] For example, the constant π may be defined as the ratio of the length of a circle's circumference to ...
[1] [2] The terms mathematical constant or physical constant are sometimes used to distinguish this meaning. [3] A function whose value remains unchanged (i.e., a constant function). [4] Such a constant is commonly represented by a variable which does not depend on the main variable(s) in question.
For example, the atomic mass constant is exactly known when expressed using the dalton (its value is exactly 1 Da), but the kilogram is not exactly known when using these units, the opposite of when expressing the same quantities using the kilogram.
The constant π (pi) has a natural definition in Euclidean geometry as the ratio between the circumference and diameter of a circle. It may be found in many other places in mathematics: for example, the Gaussian integral, the complex roots of unity, and Cauchy distributions in probability. However, its ubiquity is not limited to pure mathematics.
A physical constant, sometimes fundamental physical constant or universal constant, is a physical quantity that cannot be explained by a theory and therefore must be measured experimentally. It is distinct from a mathematical constant , which has a fixed numerical value, but does not directly involve any physical measurement.
In physics, the fine-structure constant, also known as the Sommerfeld constant, commonly denoted by α (the Greek letter alpha), is a fundamental physical constant which quantifies the strength of the electromagnetic interaction between elementary charged particles.
Faraday constant: coulombs per mole (C⋅mol −1) frequency: hertz (Hz) function: friction: newton (N) electrical conductance: siemens (S) universal gravitational constant: newton meter squared per kilogram squared (N⋅m 2 /kg 2) shear modulus: pascal (Pa) or newton per square meter (N/m 2)
The number e is a mathematical constant approximately equal to 2.71828 that is the base of the natural logarithm and exponential function.It is sometimes called Euler's number, after the Swiss mathematician Leonhard Euler, though this can invite confusion with Euler numbers, or with Euler's constant, a different constant typically denoted .