Useful Physical Constants

Name of the Constant

Abbreviation

Value and Units

Universal Gas Constant

R*

8.3145 J K-1 mol-1

Boltzmann's Constant

k

1.381 x 10-23 J K-1 molecule-1

Avogadro's Number

NA

6.022 x 1023 mol-1

Stefan-Boltzmann Constant

s

5.6696 x 10-8 W m-2 K-4

Planck's Constant

h

6.6262 x 10-34 J s

Velocity of Light

c

2.998 x 108 m s-1

Permittivity of Vacuum

eo

8.85 x 10-12 C2 N-1 m-2

Average Radius of the Earth

RE

6.37 x 106 m

Mean Gravitational Acceleration at Earth's Surface

go , g

9.81 m s-2

Angular Velocity of Rotation of the Earth

W

7.292 x 10-5 rad s-1

Average Distance from the Center of the Sun to the Center of the Earth

d , do

1.50 x 1011 m

Solar Irradiance on a Perpendicular Plane at the mean Earth-Sun Distance

So

1.367 x 103 W m-2

Average Molecular Weight of Dry Air

Md

28.97

Gas Constant of Dry Air

Rd

287 J K-1 kg-2

Density of Dry Air at 0°C and 1000mb

rd

1.275 kg m-3

Specific Heat of Dry Air at Constant Pressure

cpd

1004 J K-1 kg-1

Specific Heat of Dry Air at Constant Volume

cvd

717 J K-1 kg-1

Thermal Conductivity of Dry Air at 0°C

k

2.40-2 J m-1 s-1 K-1

Molecular Weight of Water

Mw

18.016

Gas Constant for Water Vapor

Rv

461 J K-1 kg-1

Density of Liquid Water at 0°C

r w

1.00 x 103 kg m-3

Density of Ice at 0°

r i

0.917 x 103 kg m-3

Specific Heat of Water Vapor at Constant Pressure

cpv

1952 J K-1 kg-1

Specific Heat of Water Vapor at Constant Volume

cvv

1463 J K-1 kg-1

Specific Heat of Water Vapor at 0°C

cw

4218 J K-1 kg-1

Specific Heat of Ice at 0°C

ci

2106 J K-1 kg-1

Enthalpy (Latent Heat) of Vaporization of Water at 0°C

lv

2.50 x 106 J kg-1

Enthalpy (Latent Heat) of Vaporization of Water at 100°C

lv

2.25 x 106 J kg-1

Enthalpy (Latent Heat) of Fusion of Water at 0°C

lf

3.34 x 105 J kg-1

Enthalpy (Latent Heat) of Sublimation of Water at 0°C

ls

2.83 x 106 J kg-1