97% of People Can't Name All of These Physics Symbols. Can You?

By: Jacqueline Samaroo
Estimated Completion Time
3 min
97% of People Can't Name All of These Physics Symbols. Can You?
Image: Original

About This Quiz

Do you have enough energy to force the right answers out of this quiz?

It can be very complex, intricate, and oftentimes difficult to fully understand, physics is actually considered to be one of the most fundamental scientific disciplines. As a result of this, it is not surprising that physics, and the concepts that it deals with, form a foundation that other scientific fields are built upon. 

Physics is a large and ever-expanding science and as a result, it deals with a wide array of physical quantities, concepts, and ideas, which are represented by various symbols. The symbols in this quiz consist of 40 of the most iconic symbols in physics that even non-scientists have heard of! 

One of the reasons why there are so many different physics symbols in use today is because physics is actually one of the oldest sciences and academic disciplines in the world!  These symbols usually either come in the form of upper case or lower case characters from the Latin alphabet (a, b, c, etc.) or from the Greek alphabet (omega, kappa, sigma, etc.). 

So, are you ready to discover the right answers in this quiz? Throw on your lab coat and let's get started!

σ
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electrical conductivity
In physics, electrical conductivity is most commonly represented by the symbol σ. Electrical conductivity refers to how strongly a given material opposes the flow of electric current.
luminosity
capacitance
power
F
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
impulse
angular acceleration
force
In physics, force is most commonly represented by the symbol F. Force refers to any interaction that, when unopposed, will change the motion of an object.
electric potential
H
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
energy
heat
time
magnetic field strength
In physics, magnetic field strength is most commonly represented by the symbol H. Magnetic field strength refers to a force field that is created by moving electrical charges and magnetic dipoles.

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a
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
resistivity
temperature
acceleration
In physics, acceleration is most commonly represented by the symbol a. Acceleration refers to the rate of change of velocity of an object with respect to time.
magnetic flux density
U
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
density
potential energy
In physics, potential energy is most commonly represented by the symbol U. Potential energy refers to the energy possessed by an object because of its position relative to other objects, stresses within itself, its electric charge, or other factors.
area
entropy
λ
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
power
permittivity
pi
wavelength
In physics, wavelength is most commonly represented by the symbol λ. Wavelength refers to the distance over which a wave's shape repeats.

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K
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
the gravitational constant
torsion coefficient
In physics, torsion coefficient is most commonly represented by the symbol Κ. Torsion coefficient represents the ability of a bar or beam to resist torsion (twisting).
area
electric potential
moment of inertia (I)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
moment of inertia
In physics, moment of inertia is most commonly represented by the symbol I. Moment of inertia refers to a body's tendency to resist angular acceleration, it is also known as angular mass or rotational inertia.
heat
damping ratio
energy
atomic number (N)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
magnetic flux density
atomic number
In physics, atomic number is most commonly represented by the symbol N. Atomic number refers to the number of protons found in the nucleus of an atom of a chemical element. It is used as an identifier for elements on the periodic table.
entropy
resistivity

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frequency (v)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electric field
pi
impulse
frequency
In physics, frequency is most commonly represented by the symbol v. Frequency refers to the number of occurrences of a repeating event per unit of time.
gamma radiation (γ)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
acceleration due to gravity
gamma radiation
In physics, gamma radiation is most commonly represented by the symbol γ. Gamma radiation refers to electromagnetic radiation that arises from the radioactive decay of atomic nuclei.
electrical conductivity
luminosity
wave function (ψ)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
wave function
In physics, wave function is most commonly represented by the symbol ψ. Wave function refers to a function that describes the wave properties of a particle.
force
kinetic energy
electric field

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distance (d)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
atomic number
electric resistance
distance
In physics, distance is most commonly represented by the symbol d. Distance refers to any numerical measurement of how far apart objects are from each other.
the gravitational constant
Planck's constant (h)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
width
Planck’s constant
In physics, Planck’s constant is most commonly represented by the symbol h. Planck’s constant refers to a physical constant that is the quantum of action, central in quantum mechanics. It is named after Max Planck, the German physicist who first recognized it.
acceleration
damping ratio
moment of force (M)
original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
potential energy
time
moment of force
In physics, moment of force is most commonly represented by the symbol M. Moment of force refers to the turning effect of a force. It is calculated using the force and the distance from a perpendicular reference point.
permittivity

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speed of sound (c)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
wavelength
gamma radiation
electric resistance
speed of sound
In physics, speed of sound is most commonly represented by the symbol c. Speed of sound refers to exactly what the name “sounds” like. It is the distance travelled per unit of time by a sound wave.
width (w)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
temperature
torsion coefficient
width
In physics, width is most commonly represented by the symbol w. Width refers to the distance from side to side, of an object that occurs at right angles to the length.
Planck’s constant
electric resistance (Ω)
original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electric resistance
In physics, electric resistance is most commonly represented by the symbol Ω. Electric resistance refers to how a device or material reduces the electric current flow through it.
moment of inertia
distance
speed of sound

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kinetic energy (K)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
magnetic field strength
wave function
angular acceleration
kinetic energy
In physics, kinetic energy is most commonly represented by the symbol K. Kinetic energy refers to the energy that an object possesses due to its motion.
acceleration due to gravity (g)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
acceleration due to gravity
In physics, acceleration due to gravity is most commonly represented by the symbol g. Acceleration due to gravity refers to the acceleration of an object in a vacuum near the surface of the Earth.
frequency
moment of force
capacitance
capacitance (C)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
acceleration due to gravity
power
wave function
capacitance
In physics, capacitance is most commonly represented by the symbol C. Capacitance refers to the ratio of the change in an electric charge in a system, as it relates to the corresponding change in the system’s electric potential.

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angular acceleration (α)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electric potential
angular acceleration
In physics, angular acceleration is most commonly represented by the symbol α. Angular acceleration simply refers to the rate of change of angular velocity.
torsion coefficient
kinetic energy
time (t)
original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
atomic number
heat
moment of inertia
time
In physics, time is most commonly represented by the symbol t. Time oftentimes is simply defined as being “what a clock shows/reads.” Time is sometimes referred to as the fourth dimension.
T
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
magnetic field strength
temperature
In physics, temperature is most commonly represented by the symbol T. Temperature refers to the physical quantity that expresses hot and cold.
magnetic flux density
width

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density (D)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
density
In physics, density is most commonly represented by the symbol D. Density refers to the mass per unit volume of a substance.
frequency
entropy
speed of sound
permittivity (ϵ)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
pi
electrical conductivity
permittivity
In physics, permittivity is most commonly represented by the symbol ϵ. Permittivity refers to the measure of resistance that is encountered when forming an electric field in a particular medium.
moment of force
damping ratio (ζ)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
impulse
force
damping ratio
In physics, damping ratio is most commonly represented by the symbol ζ. Damping ratio refers to the measure of how oscillations decay after an observed disturbance.
Planck’s constant

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the gravitational constant (G)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
distance
the gravitational constant
In physics, the gravitational constant is most commonly represented by the symbol G. The gravitational constant refers to the physical constant (6.674×10−11 m3⋅kg−1⋅s−2) that is used in the calculation of gravitational effects.
density
energy
electric field (E)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electric field
In physics, electric field is most commonly represented by the symbol E. Electric field simply refers to a field that surrounds electric charges.
acceleration
area
wavelength
luminosity (L)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
gamma radiation
resistivity
luminosity
In physics, luminosity is most commonly represented by the symbol L. Luminosity refers to the total amount of energy radiated by an object per unit of time.
potential energy

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impulse (J)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
frequency
impulse
In physics, impulse is most commonly represented by the symbol J. Impulse refers to the integral of a force over the time interval that it acts.
damping ratio
acceleration due to gravity
E Energy
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
kinetic energy
electric field
magnetic field strength
energy
In physics, energy is most commonly represented by the symbol E. Energy refers to the capacity for doing work. The law of conservation of energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, it can only be converted from one form to another.
resistivity (ρ)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
moment of inertia
luminosity
resistivity
In physics, resistivity is most commonly represented by the symbol ρ. Resistivity refers to how strongly a given material opposes the flow of electric current.
atomic number

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area (A)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
torsion coefficient
the gravitational constant
width
area
In physics, area is most commonly represented by the symbol A. Area refers to the two dimensional extent of a shape or object.
Ï€ Pi
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
wavelength
pi
In physics, pi is most commonly represented by the symbol π, which refers to the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter; approximately 3.14159.
speed of sound
permittivity
entropy (S)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
potential energy
electric resistance
moment of force
entropy
In physics, entropy is most commonly represented by the symbol S. Entropy refers to the measure of the number of possible arrangements the atoms in a system can have.

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B magnetic flux density
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
magnetic flux density
In physics, magnetic flux density is most commonly represented by the symbol B. Magnetic flux density refers to the measure of the strength of a magnetic field at a given point.
Planck’s constant
temperature
acceleration
heat (Q)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
density
time
heat
In physics, heat is most commonly represented by the symbol Q. Heat refers to the energy that is transferred from a warmer substance or body to a cooler one.
distance
electric potential (Ï•)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electric potential
In physics, electric potential is most commonly represented by the symbol Ï•. Electric potential refers to the amount of work needed to move a charge from a reference point to a specified point.
wave function
angular acceleration
force

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power (P)
Original
Which physics symbol is in this image?
electrical conductivity
capacitance
power
In physics, power is most commonly represented by the symbol P. Power refers to the rate of doing work; i.e. the amount of energy transferred per unit time.
gamma radiation
You Got:
/40
Original