Selected Physical Constants

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Nov 18, 2023
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Physical Constant	Value
Speed of light in a vacuum	$\begin{array}{l} c=2.99792458 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l} 10 \text { meters/second } \\ 10^{10} \text { centimeters/second } \end{array}\right \\ \\ c=\left\{\begin{array}{l} 1 \text { meter of distance/meter of light-travel time } \\ 1 \text { centimeter of distance/centimeter of light-travel time } \end{array}\right. \end{array}$
Gravitational constant	$G=6.673 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10)^{-11} \text { meter }^5 /\left(\text { kilogram-second }^{\prime}\right) \\10^{-8} \text { centimeter } /(\text { gram-second }\end{array}\right.$
Planck constant	$h=6.6261 \times\left\{\begin{array}{ll}10^{-11} & \text { kilogram-meter }{ }^2 / \text { second }^2 \\ 10^{-27} & \text { gram-centimeter } / \text { second }^2\end{array}\right.$
Boltzmann constant	$k=1.38066 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{-14} \text { joule/degree Kelvin } \\ 10^{-16} \mathrm{erg} / \text { degree Kelvin }\end{array}\right.$
Elementary charge	$e=\left\{\begin{array}{l}1.60218 \times 10^{-19} \text { coulombs } \\ 4.80321 \times 10^{-10} \text { esu or }\left(\text { gram centimeter } / \text { second }^2\right)^{1 / 2}\end{array}\right.$
Electron mass	$m_i=9.1094 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{-31} \text { kilogram } \\ 10^{-2 \mathrm{H}} \text { gram }\end{array}\right.$
Electron rest energy	$\begin{aligned} m_c c^2 & =8.1871 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{-11} \text { joules } \\ 10^{-7} \text { ergs }\end{array}\right. \\ & =0.510999 \mathrm{MeV}\end{aligned}$
Proton mass	$m_p=1.67262 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{-27} \text { kilogram } \\ 10^{-21} \text { gram }\end{array}\right.$
Proton rest energy	$\begin{aligned}m_p c^2 & =1.503279 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{-10} \text { joules } \\10^{-3} \mathrm{ergs}\end{array}\right. \\& =938.272 \mathrm{MeV}\end{aligned}$
Mass of Earth	$M_{\oplus}=5.9742 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{21} \text { kilograms } \\ 10^{27} \text { grams }\end{array}\right.$
Radius of a sphere having the same volume as Earth	$R_{\oplus}=6.3710 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^6 \text { meters } \\ 10^s \text { centimeters }\end{array}\right.$
Mean distance of Earth from Sun = "astronomical unit"	$AU=1.495978 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{11} \text { meters } \\ 10^{13} \text { centimeters }\end{array}\right.$
Mean speed of Earth in its orbit about Sun	$v=29.78 \text { kilometers/second }$
Mean distance of Moon from Earth	$3.844 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l} 10^* \text { meters } \\ 10^{10} \text { centimeters }\end{array} \right.$
Mass of Sun	$M_{\odot}=1.989 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{30} \text { kilograms } \\ 10^{53} \text { grams }\end{array}\right.$
Mean radius of Sun	$R_0=6.9599 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^k \text { meters } \\ 10^{10} \text { centimeters }\end{array}\right.$

Conversion Factors

From	To
1 second	$=2.99792458 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^8 \text { meters } \\ 10^{10} \text { centimeters }\end{array}\right\}$ of light-travel time
1 meter of light time travel	$=3.335641 \times 10^{-9}$ second
1 centimeter of light time travel	$=3.335641 \times 10^{-11}$ second
1 year	$=3.156 \times 10^7$ seconds $=9.460 \times\left\{\begin{array}{l}10^{15} \text { meters } \\ 10^{17} \text { centimeters }\end{array}\right\}$ of light-travel time
1 kilometer	$=0.6214$ mile
1 electron-volt	$=1.602 \times 10^{-19}$ joule $=1.602 \times 10^{-12} \mathrm{erg}$

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