Physical (and other) constants

Question

As Mathematica documentation likes to say, "As of Version 9.0, physical constant functionality is built into the Wolfram Language". After clicking on the ">>", one gets Units main help page. But there is no mention of physical (or any other for that matter) constants any more. What I would really like is a list of all available constants from various disciplines. The list that actually is only available is for the old PhysicalConstants package. Maybe there are some more but how am I supposed to find that out? Also Mathematica may probably understand "StefanBoltzmannConstant" but it actually is called "StefanConstant" in the engine and there is extra processing necessary to interpret these non-exact inputs.

Finally, is there any more pleasant way to get the value of the constant? The only way that I have found is UnitConvert[Quantity[1,"SpeedOfLight"],"SIBase"] and this is really ugly; what I am looking for is the old way of accessing the constants by just writing their name eg. SpeedOfLight.

Must say I find it mighty annoying how the documentation pages for "obsolete" functions rarely give you a direct pointer to the relevant new functionality — george2079, Oct 31 '16 at 19:48
BTW your last expression can be somewhat more compact as simply UnitConvert[Quantity["SpeedOfLight"]], since '1' and 'SIBase' are default.. — george2079, Oct 31 '16 at 20:01
And can be made more compact still with UnitConvert@"SpeedOfLight", since it seems you only need to use the Quantity command within UnitConvert when you have quantities other than 1. Further, since you are only converting a single constant, you can use Prefix (@). For multiple constants and/or units, you would need Postfix (//) or square brackets. — theorist, Mar 26 '17 at 20:33

Mark Adler · Answer 1 · 2019-04-18T00:48:08.887

You can look through all of the units for the ones that are physical constants:

Quantity@"m";
Sort@Keys@QuantityUnits`Private`$UnitReplacementRules

(You need the initial run of Quantity on a fresh kernel to load the package for the QuantityUnits context to be available.)

Below is my attempt at extracting the constants from that list. The one in the list is in fact StefanBoltzmannConstant, not StefanConstant. To get the values in SI units you would do something like UnitConvert@Quantity@"StefanBoltzmannConstant". Also in reference to a comment in another answer here, NIST in fact does call it the Standard Acceleration of Gravity.

AlphaParticleMass
AstronomicalUnit
AtomicMassUnit
AtomicMassUnitChemical
AtomicMassUnitPhysical
AvogadroConstant
AvogadroConstantFoxHill
AvogadroConstantNewSI
AvogadroConstantValueFoxHill
AvogadroNumber
BohrMagneton
BohrQuadrupoleMagnetons
BohrRadius
BoltzmannConstant
BoltzmannConstantNewSI
BoltzmannConstantTemperatureDifferenceUnit
CeresMass
CeresSolarMassRatio
Cesium133HyperfineSplittingFrequency
ChandrasekharLimit
ClassicalElectronRadius
ClassicalProtonRadius
CMBElectromagneticEnergyDensity
CosmologicalConstantValueDarkEnergyBased
Critical1DDipoleMoment
Critical3DDipoleMoment
DeuteronMagneticMoment
DeuteronMass
EarthEquatorialRadius
EarthMass
EarthMeanRadius
EarthMoonMassRatio
EarthPolarRadius
EarthRateUnits
EarthVolume
EinsteinConstantSpeedOfLightSquared
EinsteinConstantSpeedOfLightToTheFourth
ElectricBohrDipoleMoment
ElectricBohrQuadrupoleMoment
ElectricConstant
ElectronAbsoluteMass
ElectronComptonFrequency
ElectronComptonWavelength
ElectronGFactor
ElectronMagneticMoment
ElectronMass
ElectronRelativeAtomicMass
ElectronSchroedingerConstants
ElectronSpinGFactor
ElectronWaveMass
ElementaryCharge
ElementaryChargeNewSI
ErisMass
FaradayConstant
FaradayConstantForConventionalElectricCurrent
FermiCouplingConstant
FineStructureConstant
FineStructureConstantGradient
FirstFowlerNordheimConstant
FirstRadiationConstant
FirstRadiationConstantSpectralRadianceValue
FixedNucleusAtomSchroedingerConstants
FreeElectronGyromagneticRatio
GaussianGravitationalConstant
GeocentricGravitationalConstantTCB
GeocentricGravitationalConstantTDB
GeocentricGravitationalConstantTT
GravitationalConstant
GravitationalConstantGradient
GravitationalCouplingConstantElectronElectron
GravitationalCouplingConstantElectronProton
GravitationalCouplingConstantProtonProton
HadronicHagedornTemperature
HiggsBosonMass
HubbleConstant
HydrogenAtomSchroedingerConstants
IdealGasMolarVolume
JosephsonConstant
JosephsonConstantConventional
JovianSolarDays
JupiterMass
JupiterVolume
LorenzNumber
LoschmidtConstant
MachSpeed
MagneticConstant
MagneticCouplingConstant
MagneticFineStructureConstant
MagneticFluxQuantum
MarsMass
MartianSolarDays
MartianYears
MeanEarthSunDistance
MeanMoonEarthDistance
MeanSolarConstant
MeanSolarDays
MeanSolarHours
MercuryMass
MolarGasConstant
MolarMassOfCarbon12
MolarPlanckConstant
MoonEarthMassRatio
MoonGeopotential
MoonVolume
MuonComptonWavelength
MuonGFactor
MuonMagneticMoment
MuonMass
NeutronComptonWavelength
NeutronGFactor
NeutronMagneticMoment
NeutronMass
NonlinearQEDEffectsOnsetElectromagneticEnergyDensity
NuclearMagnetons
OortConstantA
OortConstantB
PallasMass
PallasSolarMassRatio
PlanckConstant
PlanckConstantNewSI
PlanckCurveMaximumWRTFrequency
PlutoMass
ProtonArea
ProtonComptonWavelength
ProtonElectronMassRatio
ProtonGFactor
ProtonMagneticMoment
ProtonMass
ProtonProtonElasticCrossSectionAtCenterOfMassEnergy10GeV
ProtonProtonTotalCrossSectionAtCenterOfMassEnergy10GeV
ProtonRadius
QCDScale
QEDVacuumImpedance
QuantizedHallConductance
QuantizedHallResistance
RadiationConstant
ReducedElectromagneticPlanckConstant
ReducedInverseMechanicalEquivalentOfLight
ReducedPlanckConstant
RelativisticReducedPlanckMass
RydbergConstant
RydbergConstantHydrogen
RydbergFrequency
SackurTetrodeConstant
SaturnMass
SchottkyNordheimBarrierConstant
SchottkyNordheimConstant
SecondFowlerNordheimConstant
SecondRadiationConstant
SolarConstant
SolarLuminosity
SolarMass
SolarMassParameterTCB
SolarMassParameterTDB
SolarRadius
SolarSchwarzschildRadius
SommerfeldNordheimConstant
SpeedOfLight
SpeedOfSound
StandardAccelerationOfGravity
StefanBoltzmannConstant
StefanBoltzmannConstant1D
StefanBoltzmannConstant2D
StefanBoltzmannConstant4D
StefanBoltzmannConstant5D
StrongCouplingConstant
SunEarthMassRatio
SunErisMassRatio
SunJupiterMassRatio
SunLuminousFlux
SunLuminousIntensity
SunMarsMassRatio
SunMercuryMassRatio
SunNeptuneMassRatio
SunPlutoMassRatio
SunSaturnMassRatio
SunUranusMassRatio
SunVenusMassRatio
SunVolume
TauComptonWavelength
TauMass
TauonMagneticMoment
ThompsonLampardCalculableCapacitorCapacitance
ThomsonCrossSection
UniverseAge
UniverseMass
UranusMass
VacuumEnergyDensityInOurUniverseDarkEnergyBased
VenusMass
VestaMass
VestaSolarMassRatio
WeakMixingAngleConstant
WienWavelengthDisplacementLawConstant

Here is that list in a form that you can copy and paste to get the list of strings:

{"AlphaParticleMass", "AstronomicalUnit", "AtomicMassUnit", \
"AtomicMassUnitChemical", "AtomicMassUnitPhysical", \
"AvogadroConstant", "AvogadroConstantFoxHill", \
"AvogadroConstantNewSI", "AvogadroConstantValueFoxHill", \
"AvogadroNumber", "BohrMagneton", "BohrQuadrupoleMagnetons", \
"BohrRadius", "BoltzmannConstant", "BoltzmannConstantNewSI", \
"BoltzmannConstantTemperatureDifferenceUnit", "CeresMass", \
"CeresSolarMassRatio", "Cesium133HyperfineSplittingFrequency", \
"ChandrasekharLimit", "ClassicalElectronRadius", \
"ClassicalProtonRadius", "CMBElectromagneticEnergyDensity", \
"CosmologicalConstantValueDarkEnergyBased", "Critical1DDipoleMoment", \
"Critical3DDipoleMoment", "DeuteronMagneticMoment", "DeuteronMass", \
"EarthEquatorialRadius", "EarthMass", "EarthMeanRadius", \
"EarthMoonMassRatio", "EarthPolarRadius", "EarthRateUnits", \
"EarthVolume", "EinsteinConstantSpeedOfLightSquared", \
"EinsteinConstantSpeedOfLightToTheFourth", \
"ElectricBohrDipoleMoment", "ElectricBohrQuadrupoleMoment", \
"ElectricConstant", "ElectronAbsoluteMass", \
"ElectronComptonFrequency", "ElectronComptonWavelength", \
"ElectronGFactor", "ElectronMagneticMoment", "ElectronMass", \
"ElectronRelativeAtomicMass", "ElectronSchroedingerConstants", \
"ElectronSpinGFactor", "ElectronWaveMass", "ElementaryCharge", \
"ElementaryChargeNewSI", "ErisMass", "FaradayConstant", \
"FaradayConstantForConventionalElectricCurrent", \
"FermiCouplingConstant", "FineStructureConstant", \
"FineStructureConstantGradient", "FirstFowlerNordheimConstant", \
"FirstRadiationConstant", \
"FirstRadiationConstantSpectralRadianceValue", \
"FixedNucleusAtomSchroedingerConstants", \
"FreeElectronGyromagneticRatio", "GaussianGravitationalConstant", \
"GeocentricGravitationalConstantTCB", \
"GeocentricGravitationalConstantTDB", \
"GeocentricGravitationalConstantTT", "GravitationalConstant", \
"GravitationalConstantGradient", \
"GravitationalCouplingConstantElectronElectron", \
"GravitationalCouplingConstantElectronProton", \
"GravitationalCouplingConstantProtonProton", \
"HadronicHagedornTemperature", "HiggsBosonMass", "HubbleConstant", \
"HydrogenAtomSchroedingerConstants", "IdealGasMolarVolume", \
"JosephsonConstant", "JosephsonConstantConventional", \
"JovianSolarDays", "JupiterMass", "JupiterVolume", "LorenzNumber", \
"LoschmidtConstant", "MachSpeed", "MagneticConstant", \
"MagneticCouplingConstant", "MagneticFineStructureConstant", \
"MagneticFluxQuantum", "MarsMass", "MartianSolarDays", \
"MartianYears", "MeanEarthSunDistance", "MeanMoonEarthDistance", \
"MeanSolarConstant", "MeanSolarDays", "MeanSolarHours", \
"MercuryMass", "MolarGasConstant", "MolarMassOfCarbon12", \
"MolarPlanckConstant", "MoonEarthMassRatio", "MoonGeopotential", \
"MoonVolume", "MuonComptonWavelength", "MuonGFactor", \
"MuonMagneticMoment", "MuonMass", "NeutronComptonWavelength", \
"NeutronGFactor", "NeutronMagneticMoment", "NeutronMass", \
"NonlinearQEDEffectsOnsetElectromagneticEnergyDensity", \
"NuclearMagnetons", "OortConstantA", "OortConstantB", "PallasMass", \
"PallasSolarMassRatio", "PlanckConstant", "PlanckConstantNewSI", \
"PlanckCurveMaximumWRTFrequency", "PlutoMass", "ProtonArea", \
"ProtonComptonWavelength", "ProtonElectronMassRatio", \
"ProtonGFactor", "ProtonMagneticMoment", "ProtonMass", \
"ProtonProtonElasticCrossSectionAtCenterOfMassEnergy10GeV", \
"ProtonProtonTotalCrossSectionAtCenterOfMassEnergy10GeV", \
"ProtonRadius", "QCDScale", "QEDVacuumImpedance", \
"QuantizedHallConductance", "QuantizedHallResistance", \
"RadiationConstant", "ReducedElectromagneticPlanckConstant", \
"ReducedInverseMechanicalEquivalentOfLight", "ReducedPlanckConstant", \
"RelativisticReducedPlanckMass", "RydbergConstant", \
"RydbergConstantHydrogen", "RydbergFrequency", \
"SackurTetrodeConstant", "SaturnMass", \
"SchottkyNordheimBarrierConstant", "SchottkyNordheimConstant", \
"SecondFowlerNordheimConstant", "SecondRadiationConstant", \
"SolarConstant", "SolarLuminosity", "SolarMass", \
"SolarMassParameterTCB", "SolarMassParameterTDB", "SolarRadius", \
"SolarSchwarzschildRadius", "SommerfeldNordheimConstant", \
"SpeedOfLight", "SpeedOfSound", "StandardAccelerationOfGravity", \
"StefanBoltzmannConstant", "StefanBoltzmannConstant1D", \
"StefanBoltzmannConstant2D", "StefanBoltzmannConstant4D", \
"StefanBoltzmannConstant5D", "StrongCouplingConstant", \
"SunEarthMassRatio", "SunErisMassRatio", "SunJupiterMassRatio", \
"SunLuminousFlux", "SunLuminousIntensity", "SunMarsMassRatio", \
"SunMercuryMassRatio", "SunNeptuneMassRatio", "SunPlutoMassRatio", \
"SunSaturnMassRatio", "SunUranusMassRatio", "SunVenusMassRatio", \
"SunVolume", "TauComptonWavelength", "TauMass", \
"TauonMagneticMoment", \
"ThompsonLampardCalculableCapacitorCapacitance", \
"ThomsonCrossSection", "UniverseAge", "UniverseMass", "UranusMass", \
"VacuumEnergyDensityInOurUniverseDarkEnergyBased", "VenusMass", \
"VestaMass", "VestaSolarMassRatio", "WeakMixingAngleConstant", \
"WienWavelengthDisplacementLawConstant"}

Then if you want to make symbols out of all of them, you can do (where % assumes that you just evaluated that list):

(Evaluate[Symbol[#]] = Quantity@#) & /@ %

or:

(Evaluate[Symbol[#]] = UnitConvert@Quantity@#) & /@ %

I'd prefer the first one, so that the symbol SpeedOfLight shows 1 c. However you might like the second version better, for which SpeedOfLight shows as 299792458 m/s. Either way, you'll get the same answers when used in calculations if you apply the UnitConvert at the end.

Update:

Fixed in 12.0!

EntityList["PhysicalConstant"]

What version are you using? I have V11.0.0 and your code returns an error. Do I have to load something? — Michael E2, Oct 31 '16 at 23:30
You're right. I got an error with a fresh kernel. You need to do something like Quantity["SpeedOfLIght"] first, which apparently loads the quantities, and then it works. I am using 11.0.1, but this should work on 10. — Mark Adler, Oct 31 '16 at 23:39
@MarkAdler Very nice! When I run your code Quantity@"m"; Sort@Keys@QuantityUnitsPrivate$UnitReplacementRules I get a combined list of all 4959 (units + physical constants). What code did you use to extract out the 193 physical constants you listed? I ask because I notice your list of physical constants, while convenient and useful (using your list as a starting point, I was able to make a nice table of those 193 physical constants and their values), is not comprehensive, e.g., it doesn't contain the 27 physical constants starting with "AUs...", e.g., "AUsCapacitance", "AUsConductance", etc... — theorist, Mar 27 '17 at 02:51
As noted: "Below is my attempt at extracting the constants from that list." I simply manually pulled out what I thought were potentially useful physical constants. — Mark Adler, Mar 27 '17 at 05:04

george2079 · Answer 2 · 2016-10-31T20:28:44.687

Quiet[<< PhysicalConstants`]
Names["PhysicalConstants`*"]

{"AccelerationDueToGravity", "AgeOfUniverse", "AvogadroConstant", "BohrRadius", "BoltzmannConstant", "ClassicalElectronRadius", "CosmicBackgroundTemperature", "DeuteronMagneticMoment", "DeuteronMass", "EarthMass", "EarthRadius", "ElectronCharge", "ElectronComptonWavelength", "ElectronGFactor", "ElectronMagneticMoment", "ElectronMass", "FaradayConstant", "FineStructureConstant", "GalacticUnit", "GravitationalConstant", "HubbleConstant", "IcePoint", "MagneticFluxQuantum", "MolarGasConstant", "MolarVolume", "MuonGFactor", "MuonMagneticMoment", "MuonMass", "NeutronComptonWavelength", "NeutronMagneticMoment", "NeutronMass", "PlanckConstant", "PlanckConstantReduced", "PlanckMass", "ProtonComptonWavelength", "ProtonMagneticMoment", "ProtonMass", "QuantizedHallConductance", "RydbergConstant", "SackurTetrodeConstant", "SolarConstant", "SolarLuminosity", "SolarRadius", "SolarSchwarzschildRadius", "SpeedOfLight", "SpeedOfSound", "StefanConstant", "ThomsonCrossSection", "VacuumPermeability", "VacuumPermittivity", "WeakMixingAngle"}

then do Quantity /@ % you will see only a handful are not recognized.

Interestingly Quantity["AccelerationDueToGravity"] fails..( Quantity wants "StandardAccelerationOfGravity" , which is technically incorrect )

But this makes use of the obsolete package and thus the whole list is just the list of the constant from the obsolete package? What makes sure that the constants in the obsolete package are the same as those implemented in new versions, plus what if they have different names (and thus their interpretation is slower)? — atapaka, Oct 31 '16 at 21:21
It would be a simple exercise to see if any of the values are different. — george2079, Nov 01 '16 at 00:22

Physical (and other) constants

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