Overview of the ScientificConstants Package
Basic Functionality
Examples
The ScientificConstants package provides access to the values of various constant physical quantities, for example, the velocity of light and the atomic weight of sodium. These values are required to solve equations in fields such as chemistry and physics. The ScientificConstants package also provides the units for each of the constant values, allowing for greater understanding of the equation as well as units matching for error checking of the solution.
The quantities available in the ScientificConstants package are divided into two distinct categories.
physical constants
properties of the chemical elements (and their isotopes)
Accessing ScientificConstants Package Commands
Each command in the ScientificConstants package can be accessed by using either the long form or the short form of the command name in the command calling sequence.
Long form
ScientificConstants:-GetConstant(g);
Short form
with(ScientificConstants):
GetConstant(g);
Physical Constants
The essential ScientificConstants commands used to access fundamental physical constants are:
Constant
construct a physical constant object
GetConstant
return the definition of a physical constant
GetConstants
list the full names or symbols of all physical constants
GetError
return the uncertainty for a ScientificConstants object
GetUnit
return the unit object for a ScientificConstants object
To display the help page for a particular command, click the corresponding hyperlink.
For a list of the physical constants that exist in the ScientificConstants package, see Initial Physical Constants.
Details
For more details on these commands and advanced commands involving the addition and modification of physical constants in the ScientificConstants package, see Details of Commands for Physical Constants.
Elements of the Periodic Table
The essential ScientificConstants commands used to access the properties of chemical elements and their isotopes are:
Element
construct an element or isotope object
GetElement
return the definition of an element or isotope
GetElements
list the full names or symbols of all elements
GetIsotopes
list the full names or symbols of selected isotopes
For a list of the chemical elements that exist in the ScientificConstants package, see Initial Elements of the Periodic Table.
For a list of accepted element and isotope properties in the ScientificConstants package, see Initial Properties for Elements and Isotopes.
For more details on these commands and advanced commands involving the addition and modification of elements, isotopes, and their properties, see Details of Commands for Chemical Elements.
with⁡ScientificConstants:
First examine the commands accessing physical constants.
Get the definition of the physical constant c, the speed of light.
GetConstant⁡c
speed_of_light_in_vacuum,symbol=c,value=299792458,uncertainty=0,units=ms
Get the value of c.
evalf⁡Constant⁡c
2.99792458×108
Get the speed of light with units.
evalf⁡Constant⁡c,units
2.99792458×108⁢ms
Now examine the commands accessing chemical elements.
Get the definition of sodium.
GetElement⁡Na
11,symbol=Na,name=sodium,names=sodium,density=value=0.97,uncertainty=undefined,units=gcm3,atomicweight=value=22.989770,uncertainty=2.×10−6,units=amu,boilingpoint=value=1156.,uncertainty=undefined,units=K,ionizationenergy=value=5.1391,uncertainty=undefined,units=eV,electronegativity=value=0.93,uncertainty=undefined,units=1,meltingpoint=value=370.87,uncertainty=undefined,units=K,electronaffinity=value=0.547926,uncertainty=0.000025,units=eV
Get the atomic weight of sodium.
evalf⁡Element⁡Na,atomicweight
3.817543727×10−26
Get the isotopes of sodium.
GetIsotopes⁡element=Na
Na18,Na19,Na20,Na21,Na22,Na23,Na24,Na25,Na26,Na27,Na28,Na29,Na30,Na31,Na32,Na33,Na34,Na35
See Also
ScientificConstants Example Worksheet
ScientificConstants/ConstantsDetails
ScientificConstants/elements
ScientificConstants/ElementsDetails
ScientificConstants/PhysicalConstants
ScientificConstants/Properties
ScientificConstants/References
ScientificConstants/Updates
ScientificErrorAnalysis
ScientificErrorAnalysis and ScientificConstants
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