Useful Constants (Appendix 2)

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Listed below are some of the constants used in physics. Most of them are given to a higher degree of accuracy than is necessary. For most problem solving three significant figures will be sufficiently accurate. An attempt has been made to group them as to type to make for easy access.

Universal Constants

Quantity

Value with Units

Symbol

speed of light in vacuum

2.99792458X10⁸m/s

Plank's constant

6.626176X10^-34J-s

gravitational constant

6.672X10^-11N-m²/kg²

Avogadro's number

6.022045X10²³/mole

N_o

Boltzmann's constant

1.380662X10^-23J/K

k *

Coulomb's law constant

8.987551785X10⁹N-m²/C²

k *

Rydbrug constant

1.097373177X10⁷m^-1

* Note that the symbol k is used for both the Boltzmann constant and the Coulomb law constant. Usually it is apparent from the context which is being referred to.