Gamma
From Textus Receptus
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===Math and science=== | ===Math and science=== | ||
====Lower case==== | ====Lower case==== | ||
| - | The lower-case letter | + | The lower-case letter γ is used as a symbol for: |
*[[gamma radiation]] in [[nuclear physics]] | *[[gamma radiation]] in [[nuclear physics]] | ||
*[[surface energy]] in [[materials science]] | *[[surface energy]] in [[materials science]] | ||
| Line 23: | Line 23: | ||
*[[gamma waves|gamma oscillation]] in [[neuroscience]] | *[[gamma waves|gamma oscillation]] in [[neuroscience]] | ||
*[[gamma motoneurons|Gamma Motor Neurons]] in [[neuroscience]] | *[[gamma motoneurons|Gamma Motor Neurons]] in [[neuroscience]] | ||
| - | *[[antibiotic]] concentration (1 | + | *[[antibiotic]] concentration (1 γ = 1 µg/ml) in [[microbiology]] |
*the power by which the luminance of an image is increased in [[gamma correction]] | *the power by which the luminance of an image is increased in [[gamma correction]] | ||
*The [[Euler–Mascheroni constant]] | *The [[Euler–Mascheroni constant]] | ||
*In mechanical engineering, | *In mechanical engineering, | ||
**[[specific weight]] | **[[specific weight]] | ||
| - | **The [[shear rate]] of a fluid is represented by a lower case gamma with a dot above it: | + | **The [[shear rate]] of a fluid is represented by a lower case gamma with a dot above it: |
** [[Austenite]] (also known as γ-iron), a metallic non-magnetic allotrope or solid solution of iron. | ** [[Austenite]] (also known as γ-iron), a metallic non-magnetic allotrope or solid solution of iron. | ||
Revision as of 17:42, 28 February 2011
Gamma (uppercase Γ, lowercase γ; Greek Γάμμα) is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Gimel 
. Letters that arose from Gamma include the Roman C and G and the Cyrillic letters Ge Г and Ghe Ґ.
Contents |
Uses
Greek
In isolation
In Modern Greek, it represents either a voiced velar fricative /ɣ/ or a voiced palatal fricative /ʝ/. In Ancient Greek, it represented a voiced velar stop /ɡ/.
Before velars
Before other velars (κ, χ k, kh), it represents a velar nasal /ŋ/ in Modern as well as Ancient Greek. A double gamma γγ represents the sequence /ŋɡ/ (phonetically varying [ŋɡ~ɡ]) or /ŋɣ/.
International Phonetic Alphabet
In the International Phonetic Alphabet, lowercase gamma (ɣ) represents the voiced velar fricative. A lowercase gamma that lies above the baseline rather than crossing it (ɤ) represents the close-mid back unrounded vowel.
Math and science
Lower case
The lower-case letter γ is used as a symbol for:
- gamma radiation in nuclear physics
- surface energy in materials science
- the Lorentz factor in theory of relativity
- The heat capacity ratio Cp/Cv in thermodynamics
- The activity coefficient in thermodynamics
- The gyromagnetic ratio in electromagnetism
- gamma oscillation in neuroscience
- Gamma Motor Neurons in neuroscience
- antibiotic concentration (1 γ = 1 µg/ml) in microbiology
- the power by which the luminance of an image is increased in gamma correction
- The Euler–Mascheroni constant
- In mechanical engineering,
- specific weight
- The shear rate of a fluid is represented by a lower case gamma with a dot above it:
- Austenite (also known as γ-iron), a metallic non-magnetic allotrope or solid solution of iron.
Upper case
The upper-case letter <math>\Gamma </math> is used as a symbol for:
- In mathematics, the gamma function (usually written as <math>\Gamma </math>-function) is an extension of the factorial to complex numbers
- In probability theory and statistics, the gamma distribution is a two-parameter family of continuous probability distributions.
- circulation in fluid mechanics
- As reflection coefficient in physics and electrical engineering
- The tape alphabet of a Turing machine
