Nu (Ν, ν)
Quick Info
- Pronunciation: new
- English: n
- Common Use: Frequency
Historical Background
Thirteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, derived from Phoenician letter "nun". The name comes from the Phoenician word for fish or snake, reflecting its original pictographic representation of a serpentine form.
Scientific Applications
Physics
Frequency
Fluid Mechanics
Kinematic viscosity
Quantum Mechanics
Neutrino
Statistical Mechanics
Degrees of freedom
Chemistry
Stoichiometric coefficient
Symbol Codes
Unicode
Uppercase
- Code: U+039D
- Hex: Ν
- Decimal: Ν
Lowercase
- Code: U+03BD
- Hex: ν
- Decimal: ν
HTML
Uppercase
Ν
HTML entity for uppercase Nu
Lowercase
ν
HTML entity for lowercase nu
LaTeX
Uppercase
\Nu
LaTeX command for uppercase Nu
Lowercase
\nu
LaTeX command for lowercase nu
Common Usage
Physics
Wave Theory
Frequency of waves
Quantum Mechanics
Neutrino particles
Spectroscopy
Vibrational modes
Engineering
Fluid Dynamics
Kinematic viscosity
Heat Transfer
Thermal diffusivity
Acoustics
Sound frequency
Chemistry
Reaction Kinetics
Stoichiometric coefficients
Molecular Vibrations
Vibrational frequency
Spectral Analysis
Frequency bands
Common Applications
Wave Physics
Wave frequency
Photon energy
Frequency relation
Fluid Mechanics
Reynolds number
Kinematic viscosity
Prandtl number
Special Applications
Quantum Physics
Neutrino oscillation
Inverse beta decay
Deuterium reaction
Statistical Analysis
Chi-square per DOF
Degrees of freedom
Student t-distribution
Physical Applications
Acoustics
- • Sound frequency
- • Harmonic analysis
- • Resonance phenomena
- • Wave propagation
Fluid Dynamics
- • Flow regimes
- • Viscosity effects
- • Boundary layers
- • Transport phenomena
Quantum Physics
- • Neutrino physics
- • Particle oscillations
- • Nuclear reactions
- • Beta decay
Theoretical Applications
Wave Theory
Beat frequency
String harmonics
Doppler effect
Statistical Mechanics
Entropy relation
Partition function
Average energy
Writing Guidelines
Uppercase is like N, lowercase has a distinctive v-like shape. In handwriting, ensure the lowercase ν is clearly distinguished from the Latin v and the Greek upsilon (υ). The right leg should be slightly curved.
How to Type Nu
Windows
Alt Code
- Hold Alt
- Type 957 for ν
- Release Alt
Character Map
- Open Character Map
- Select Greek
- Find and copy Nu
Unicode
- Hold Alt + X
- Type 03BD
- Release Alt + X
macOS
Option Key
- Press Option + n for ν
Character Viewer
- Press Control + Command + Space
- Select Greek
- Click Nu
Linux
Compose Key
- Press Compose + n + n for ν
Unicode
- Press Ctrl + Shift + U
- Type 03BD
- Press Enter
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between Nu (Ν) and Latin N?
While they look identical in uppercase form, Nu and Latin N have different Unicode values and historical origins. In physics and engineering, nu is specifically used for frequency and kinematic viscosity.
How is nu used in physics?
In physics, ν (nu) commonly represents frequency in wave equations and kinematic viscosity in fluid dynamics. It's also used to denote neutrinos in particle physics.
What's the difference between ν and f for frequency?
While both ν and f are used to represent frequency, ν is more common in quantum mechanics and spectroscopy, while f is often used in general physics and engineering contexts.
Why is nu used for kinematic viscosity?
Nu (ν) is used for kinematic viscosity because it represents the ratio of dynamic viscosity (μ) to density (ρ). This convention has been established in fluid mechanics for many years.