Physics Algebra

$x, y, z$ (in vectors and coordinate geometry)

Axis directions or Cartesian coordinates

$$F_x, F_y$$

Perpendicular components of a force ($\text{N}$)

$\theta$ (theta)

Angle (measured in degrees or radians)

$u$ (in kinematics)

Initial velocity ($\text{m}\,\text{s}^{-1}$)

$v$ (in kinematics)

Final velocity ($\text{m}\,\text{s}^{-1}$)

$a$ (in kinematics)

Acceleration ($\text{m}\,\text{s}^{-2}$)

$s$ (in kinematics)

Displacement or distance ($\text{m}$)

$$t$$

Time ($\text{s}$)

$$g$$

Acceleration due to gravity ($9.81\,\text{m}\,\text{s}^{-2}$)

$F$ (in dynamics)

Force ($\text{N}$)

$m$ (in dynamics)

Mass ($\text{kg}$)

$W$ (in gravitational fields)

Weight ($\text{N}$)

$p$ (in mechanics)

Linear momentum ($\text{kg}\,\text{m}\,\text{s}^{-1}$)

$$\Delta p$$

Change in momentum or impulse ($\text{N}\,\text{s}$ or $\text{kg}\,\text{m}\,\text{s}^{-1}$)

$\mu$ (mu)

Coefficient of friction (dimensionless)

$W$ (in energy transfers)

Work done ($\text{J}$)

$E_k$ or $K$

Kinetic energy ($\text{J}$)

$E_p$ or $U$

Gravitational potential energy ($\text{J}$)

$$h$$

Height ($\text{m}$)

$P$ (in mechanics)

Power ($\text{W}$ or $\text{J}\,\text{s}^{-1}$)

$\eta$ (eta)

Efficiency (dimensionless ratio or percentage)

$F$ (in materials under stress)

Tensile or compressive force ($\text{N}$)

$x$ or $\Delta l$ (in elasticity)

Extension or change in length ($\text{m}$)

$l_0$ or $l$ (in elasticity)

Original length ($\text{m}$)

$k$ (in Hooke's law)

Stiffness or spring constant ($\text{N}\,\text{m}^{-1}$)

$A$ (in stress calculations)

Cross-sectional area ($\text{m}^2$)

$$d$$

Diameter ($\text{m}$)

$\sigma$ (sigma)

Tensile or compressive stress ($\text{Pa}$ or $\text{N}\,\text{m}^{-2}$)

$\varepsilon$ (epsilon)

Tensile or compressive strain (dimensionless ratio / no units)

$E$ (in materials science)

Young modulus ($\text{Pa}$ or $\text{N}\,\text{m}^{-2}$)

$W$ or $E$ (in deformation)

Strain energy or elastic potential energy ($\text{J}$)

$m$ (in linear graph equations)

Gradient (slope) of a straight line

$c$ (in linear graph equations)

$y$-intercept of a straight line

$\Delta$ (delta)

Symbol denoting 'change in' a quantity (e.g., $\frac{\Delta y}{\Delta x}$)