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SciPy Constants

The scipy.constants module provides a wide range of physical and mathematical constants, such as the speed of light, Planck’s constant, and more. It serves as a convenient reference for scientific calculations that require these well-known values.

Key Topics

Common Constants

The module provides direct access to constants like pi, c (speed of light), and h (Planck’s constant). These are especially useful in physics-related computations.

Example

from scipy import constants

print("Pi:", constants.pi)
print("Speed of Light (m/s):", constants.c)
print("Planck's Constant (J s):", constants.h)
print("Gravitational Constant (m^3 kg^-1 s^-2):", constants.G)
print("Avogadro's Number (1/mol):", constants.N_A)

Output

Pi: 3.141592653589793
Speed of Light (m/s): 299792458.0
Planck's Constant (J s): 6.62607015e-34
Gravitational Constant (m^3 kg^-1 s^-2): 6.67430e-11
Avogadro's Number (1/mol): 6.02214076e+23

Explanation: The values provided by scipy.constants are internationally recognized scientific constants, making your code more reliable and standardized.

Unit Conversion

SciPy provides unit conversion constants (e.g., electron_volt to Joules). This ensures you don’t have to manually look up or define conversion factors.

Example

from scipy.constants import convert_temperature

# Convert 100 degrees Celsius to Fahrenheit
celsius = 100
fahrenheit = convert_temperature(celsius, 'C', 'F')
print(f"{celsius} degrees Celsius is {fahrenheit} degrees Fahrenheit")

Output

100 degrees Celsius is 212.0 degrees Fahrenheit

Explanation: The convert_temperature function simplifies temperature conversions between Celsius, Fahrenheit, and Kelvin.

Reference Tables

The scipy.constants module also includes dictionaries containing all constants, categorized for easy reference.

Example

from scipy.constants import physical_constants

# Get the value, unit, and uncertainty of the Boltzmann constant
boltzmann_constant = physical_constants['Boltzmann constant']
print("Boltzmann Constant:", boltzmann_constant)

Output

Boltzmann Constant: (1.380649e-23, 'J/K', 0.0)

Explanation: The physical_constants dictionary provides detailed information about each constant, including its value, unit, and uncertainty.

Key Takeaways

  • Precision: Reliable, standardized constants for scientific work.
  • Easy Access: Directly import and use constants from scipy.constants.
  • Conversions: Built-in conversion factors for length, energy, etc.
  • Simplifies Calculations: Reduces mistakes when dealing with complex or multiple constants.
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