1.

3 Physical constants
The following 1998 CODATA recommended values for the fundamental physical constants
can also be found on the Web at [Link]/constants. Detailed background
information is available in Reviews of Modern Physics, Vol. 72, No. 2, pp. 351–495, April
2000.
The digits in parentheses represent the 1σ uncertainty in the previous two quoted digits. For
example, G = (6.673±0.010)×10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2 . It is important to note that the uncertainties
for many of the listed quantities are correlated, so that the uncertainty in any expression
using them in combination cannot necessarily be computed from the data presented. Suitable
covariance values are available in the above references.

Summary of physical constants

speed of light in vacuuma c 2.997 924 58 ×108 m s−1
permeability of vacuumb µ0 4π ×10−7 H m−1
=12.566 370 614 . . . ×10−7 H m−1
permittivity of vacuum 0 1/(µ0 c2 ) F m−1
=8.854 187 817 . . . ×10−12 F m−1
constant of gravitationc G 6.673(10) ×10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2
Planck constant h 6.626 068 76(52) ×10−34 J s
h/(2π) h̄ 1.054 571 596(82) ×10−34 J s
elementary charge e 1.602 176 462(63) ×10−19 C
magnetic flux quantum, h/(2e) Φ0 2.067 833 636(81) ×10−15 Wb
electron volt eV 1.602 176 462(63) ×10−19 J
electron mass me 9.109 381 88(72) ×10−31 kg
proton mass mp 1.672 621 58(13) ×10−27 kg
proton/electron mass ratio mp /me 1 836.152 667 5(39)
unified atomic mass unit u 1.660 538 73(13) ×10−27 kg
fine-structure constant, µ0 ce2 /(2h) α 7.297 352 533(27) ×10−3
inverse 1/α 137.035 999 76(50)
Rydberg constant, me cα2 /(2h) R∞ 1.097 373 156 854 9(83) ×107 m−1
Avogadro constant NA 6.022 141 99(47) ×1023 mol−1
Faraday constant, NA e F 9.648 534 15(39) ×104 C mol−1
molar gas constant R 8.314 472(15) J mol−1 K−1
Boltzmann constant, R/NA k 1.380 650 3(24) ×10−23 J K−1
Stefan–Boltzmann constant,
σ 5.670 400(40) ×10−8 W m−2 K−4
π 2 k 4 /(60h̄3 c2 )
Bohr magneton, eh̄/(2me ) µB 9.274 008 99(37) ×10−24 J T−1
a By definition, the speed of light is exact.
b Also exact, by definition. Alternative units are N A−2 .
c The standard acceleration due to gravity, g, is defined as exactly 9.806 65 m s−2 .
General constants
speed of light in vacuum c 2.997 924 58 ×108 m s−1
permeability of vacuum µ0 4π ×10−7 H m−1
=12.566 370 614 . . . ×10−7 H m−1
permittivity of vacuum 0 1/(µ0 c2 ) F m−1
=8.854 187 817 . . . ×10−12 F m−1
impedance of free space Z0 µ0 c Ω
=376.730 313 461 . . . Ω
constant of gravitation G 6.673(10) ×10−11 m3 kg−1 s−2
Planck constant h 6.626 068 76(52) ×10−34 J s
in eV s 4.135 667 27(16) ×10−15 eV s
h/(2π) h̄ 1.054 571 596(82) ×10−34 J s
in eV s 6.582 118 89(26) ×10−16 eV s
Planck mass, (h̄c/G)1/2 mPl 2.176 7(16) ×10−8 kg
Planck length, h̄/(mPl c) = (h̄G/c3 )1/2 lPl 1.616 0(12) ×10−35 m
Planck time, lPl /c = (h̄G/c5 )1/2 tPl 5.390 6(40) ×10−44 s
elementary charge e 1.602 176 462(63) ×10−19 C
magnetic flux quantum, h/(2e) Φ0 2.067 833 636(81) ×10−15 Wb
Josephson frequency/voltage ratio 2e/h 4.835 978 98(19) ×1014 Hz V −1
Bohr magneton, eh̄/(2me ) µB 9.274 008 99(37) ×10−24 J T−1
in eV T−1 5.788 381 749(43) ×10−5 eV T−1
µB /k 0.671 713 1(12) K T−1
nuclear magneton, eh̄/(2mp ) µN 5.050 783 17(20) ×10−27 J T−1
in eV T−1 3.152 451 238(24) ×10−8 eV T−1
µN /k 3.658 263 8(64) ×10−4 K T−1
Zeeman splitting constant µB /(hc) 46.686 452 1(19) m−1 T−1

Atomic constantsa
fine-structure constant, µ0 ce2 /(2h) α 7.297 352 533(27) ×10−3
inverse 1/α 137.035 999 76(50)
Rydberg constant, me cα2 /(2h) R∞ 1.097 373 156 854 9(83) ×107 m−1
R∞ c 3.289 841 960 368(25) ×1015 Hz
R∞ hc 2.179 871 90(17) ×10−18 J
R∞ hc/e 13.605 691 72(53) eV
Bohr radiusb , α/(4πR∞ ) a0 5.291 772 083(19) ×10−11 m
a See also the Bohr model on page 95.
b Fixed nucleus.
Electron constants
electron mass me 9.109 381 88(72) ×10−31 kg
in MeV 0.510 998 902(21) MeV
electron/proton mass ratio me /mp 5.446 170 232(12) ×10−4
electron charge −e −1.602 176 462(63) ×10−19 C
electron specific charge −e/me −1.758 820 174(71) ×1011 C kg−1
electron molar mass, NA me Me 5.485 799 110(12) ×10−7 kg mol−1
Compton wavelength, h/(me c) λC 2.426 310 215(18) ×10−12 m
classical electron radius, α2 a0 re 2.817 940 285(31) ×10−15 m
Thomson cross section, (8π/3)re2 σT 6.652 458 54(15) ×10−29 m2
electron magnetic moment µe −9.284 763 62(37) ×10−24 J T−1
in Bohr magnetons, µe /µB −1.001 159 652 186 9(41)
in nuclear magnetons, µe /µN −1 838.281 966 0(39)
electron gyromagnetic ratio, 2|µe |/h̄ γe 1.760 859 794(71) ×1011 s−1 T−1
electron g-factor, 2µe /µB ge −2.002 319 304 3737(82)

Proton constants
proton mass mp 1.672 621 58(13) ×10−27 kg
in MeV 938.271 998(38) MeV
proton/electron mass ratio mp /me 1 836.152 667 5(39)
proton charge e 1.602 176 462(63) ×10−19 C
proton specific charge e/mp 9.578 834 08(38) ×107 C kg−1
proton molar mass, NA mp Mp 1.007 276 466 88(13) ×10−3 kg mol−1
proton Compton wavelength, h/(mp c) λC,p 1.321 409 847(10) ×10−15 m
proton magnetic moment µp 1.410 606 633(58) ×10−26 J T−1
in Bohr magnetons, µp /µB 1.521 032 203(15) ×10−3
in nuclear magnetons, µp /µN 2.792 847 337(29)
proton gyromagnetic ratio, 2µp /h̄ γp 2.675 222 12(11) ×108 s−1 T−1

Neutron constants
neutron mass mn 1.674 927 16(13) ×10−27 kg
in MeV 939.565 330(38) MeV
neutron/electron mass ratio mn /me 1 838.683 655 0(40)
neutron/proton mass ratio mn /mp 1.001 378 418 87(58)
neutron molar mass, NA mn Mn 1.008 664 915 78(55) ×10−3 kg mol−1
neutron Compton wavelength, h/(mn c) λC,n 1.319 590 898(10) ×10−15 m
neutron magnetic moment µn −9.662 364 0(23) ×10−27 J T−1
in Bohr magnetons µn /µB −1.041 875 63(25) ×10−3
in nuclear magnetons µn /µN −1.913 042 72(45)
neutron gyromagnetic ratio, 2|µn |/h̄ γn 1.832 471 88(44) ×108 s−1 T−1
Muon and tau constants
muon mass mµ 1.883 531 09(16) ×10−28 kg
in MeV 105.658 356 8(52) MeV
tau mass mτ 3.167 88(52) ×10−27 kg
in MeV 1.777 05(29) ×103 MeV
muon/electron mass ratio mµ /me 206.768 262(30)
muon charge −e −1.602 176 462(63) ×10−19 C
muon magnetic moment µµ −4.490 448 13(22) ×10−26 J T−1
in Bohr magnetons, µµ /µB 4.841 970 85(15) ×10−3
in nuclear magnetons, µµ /µN 8.890 597 70(27)
muon g-factor gµ −2.002 331 832 0(13)

Bulk physical constants

Avogadro constant NA 6.022 141 99(47) ×1023 mol−1
atomic mass constanta mu 1.660 538 73(13) ×10−27 kg
in MeV 931.494 013(37) MeV
Faraday constant F 9.648 534 15(39) ×104 C mol−1
molar gas constant R 8.314 472(15) J mol−1 K−1
Boltzmann constant, R/NA k 1.380 650 3(24) ×10−23 J K−1
in eV K−1 8.617 342(15) ×10−5 eV K−1
molar volume (ideal gas at stp)b Vm 22.413 996(39) ×10−3 m3 mol−1
Stefan–Boltzmann constant, π 2 k 4 /(60h̄3 c2 ) σ 5.670 400(40) ×10−8 W m−2 K−4
Wien’s displacement law constant,c b = λm T b 2.897 768 6(51) ×10−3 m K
a= mass of 12 C/12. Alternative nomenclature for the unified atomic mass unit, u.
b Standard temperature and pressure (stp) are T = 273.15 K (0◦ C) and P = 101 325 Pa (1 standard atmosphere).
c See also page 121.

Mathematical constants
pi (π) 3.141 592 653 589 793 238 462 643 383 279 ...
exponential constant (e) 2.718 281 828 459 045 235 360 287 471 352 ...
Catalan’s constant 0.915 965 594 177 219 015 054 603 514 932 ...
Euler’s constanta (γ) 0.577 215 664 901 532 860 606 512 090 082 ...
Feigenbaum’s constant (α) 2.502 907 875 095 892 822 283 902 873 218 ...
Feigenbaum’s constant (δ) 4.669 201 609 102 990 671 853 203 820 466 ...
Gibbs constant 1.851 937 051 982 466 170 361 053 370 157 ...
golden mean 1.618 033 988 749 894 848 204 586 834 370 ...
Madelung constantb 1.747 564 594 633 182 190 636 212 035 544 ...
a See also Equation (2.119).
b NaCl structure.