3.6 Fundamental Physical Constant
33
Table 3.7 Fundamental physical constants
Fundamental
constant
Symbol Value
Unit
Uncertainty
Speed of light in
vacuum
c
299,792,458
m·s −1
Exact
Magnetic
constant
(vacuum
permeability)
μ 0
4π × 10 −7 N·A −2
1.256637061… × 10 −6
N·A −2
Exact
Electric constant
(vacuum
permittivity)
ε 0
8.854187817… × 10 −12
F·m −1
Exact
Newtonian
constant of
gravitation
G
6.67408(31) × 10 −11
m 3 ·kg −1 ·s −2 ±0.00170 ×
10 −11
Planck constant h
6.626070040(81) × 10 −34
J·s
±0.0000080 ×
10 −34
Avogadro
constant
N A
6.022 140 857(74) × 10 23
mol −1
±0.0000072 ×
10 23
Boltzmann
constant
k
1.38064852(79) × 10 −23
J·K −1
±0.0000024 ×
10 −23
be found in Reviews of Modern Physics, vol. 84 (2012), written by Peter J. Mohr,
Barry N. Taylor, and David B. Newell from the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, USA (Table 3.7).
In 1997, by the efforts of the BIPM, the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology
(JCGM) was established, whose task was, among other things, drafting the dictionary
aiming to incorporate vocabulary of basic and general terms in metrology, named
VIM (fr. Vocabulaire International de Métrologie). VIM was the very first dictionary
of metrology and was issued in 1984.
The third edition of the dictionary (VIM 3), with updated title “International
Vocabulary of Metrology—Basic and General Concepts and Associated Terms
(VIM),” was released as an ISO Guide in 2007. Further work of the working group
led to the second edition of ISO/IEC Guide 99:2012 (VIM 3), which is available on
the home page of the BIPM (www.bipm.org/vim). This edition is designated JCGM
200:2012.
Box 3.1
VIM: ed. 1984
VIM 2: ed. 1993
VIM 3: ed. 2007
VIM 3, updated: ed. 2012
33
Table 3.7 Fundamental physical constants
Fundamental
constant
Symbol Value
Unit
Uncertainty
Speed of light in
vacuum
c
299,792,458
m·s −1
Exact
Magnetic
constant
(vacuum
permeability)
μ 0
4π × 10 −7 N·A −2
1.256637061… × 10 −6
N·A −2
Exact
Electric constant
(vacuum
permittivity)
ε 0
8.854187817… × 10 −12
F·m −1
Exact
Newtonian
constant of
gravitation
G
6.67408(31) × 10 −11
m 3 ·kg −1 ·s −2 ±0.00170 ×
10 −11
Planck constant h
6.626070040(81) × 10 −34
J·s
±0.0000080 ×
10 −34
Avogadro
constant
N A
6.022 140 857(74) × 10 23
mol −1
±0.0000072 ×
10 23
Boltzmann
constant
k
1.38064852(79) × 10 −23
J·K −1
±0.0000024 ×
10 −23
be found in Reviews of Modern Physics, vol. 84 (2012), written by Peter J. Mohr,
Barry N. Taylor, and David B. Newell from the National Institute of Standards and
Technology, USA (Table 3.7).
In 1997, by the efforts of the BIPM, the Joint Committee for Guides in Metrology
(JCGM) was established, whose task was, among other things, drafting the dictionary
aiming to incorporate vocabulary of basic and general terms in metrology, named
VIM (fr. Vocabulaire International de Métrologie). VIM was the very first dictionary
of metrology and was issued in 1984.
The third edition of the dictionary (VIM 3), with updated title “International
Vocabulary of Metrology—Basic and General Concepts and Associated Terms
(VIM),” was released as an ISO Guide in 2007. Further work of the working group
led to the second edition of ISO/IEC Guide 99:2012 (VIM 3), which is available on
the home page of the BIPM (www.bipm.org/vim). This edition is designated JCGM
200:2012.
Box 3.1
VIM: ed. 1984
VIM 2: ed. 1993
VIM 3: ed. 2007
VIM 3, updated: ed. 2012