\(\def \u#1{\,\mathrm{#1}}\) \(\def \abs#1{\left|#1\right|}\) \(\def \ast{*}\) \(\def \deg{^{\circ}}\) \(\def \ten#1{\times 10^{#1}}\) \(\def \redcancel#1{{\color{red}\cancel{#1}}}\) \(\def \BLUE#1{{\color{blue} #1}}\) \(\def \RED#1{{\color{red} #1}}\) \(\def \PURPLE#1{{\color{purple} #1}}\) \(\def \th#1,#2{#1,\!#2}\) \(\def \lshift#1#2{\underset{\Leftarrow\atop{#2}}#1}}\) \(\def \rshift#1#2{\underset{\Rightarrow\atop{#2}}#1}}\) \(\def \dotspot{{\color{lightgray}{\circ}}}\)

The Greek Alphabet

Physicists use so many different letters for the variables we study that we've had to raid the Greek alphabet for more symbols. (This gives physicists the added benefit of being able to roughly sound out Greek texts.) Here is the complete alphabet; the letters we're most likely to use are highlighted in gold. You should also practice writing the ones in gold so that you can tell them apart from Roman letters: \(\kappa\) (kappa) vs K, \(\rho\) (rho) vs p, ω (omega) vs w, and so forth.

The “handwritten” columns are the ways I write the letters, not any sort of official standard. (If you already know how to write Greek then you have my sincere apologies.)