ScientificConstants - Maple Help

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Overview of the ScientificConstants Package

Basic Functionality

 • 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:

 construct a physical constant object return the definition of a physical constant list the full names or symbols of all physical constants return the uncertainty for a ScientificConstants object 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:

 construct an element or isotope object return the definition of an element or isotope list the full names or symbols of all elements return the uncertainty for a ScientificConstants object list the full names or symbols of selected isotopes 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 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.

Details

 • 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.

Examples

 > $\mathrm{with}\left(\mathrm{ScientificConstants}\right):$

First examine the commands accessing physical constants.

Get the definition of the physical constant c, the speed of light.

 > $\mathrm{GetConstant}\left(c\right)$
 ${\mathrm{speed_of_light_in_vacuum}}{,}{\mathrm{symbol}}{=}{c}{,}{\mathrm{value}}{=}{299792458}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{0}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}\frac{{m}}{{s}}$ (1)

Get the value of c.

 > $\mathrm{evalf}\left(\mathrm{Constant}\left(c\right)\right)$
 ${2.99792458}{×}{{10}}^{{8}}$ (2)

Get the speed of light with units.

 > $\mathrm{evalf}\left(\mathrm{Constant}\left(c,\mathrm{units}\right)\right)$
 ${2.99792458}{×}{{10}}^{{8}}{}⟦\frac{{m}}{{s}}⟧$ (3)

Now examine the commands accessing chemical elements.

Get the definition of sodium.

 > $\mathrm{GetElement}\left(\mathrm{Na}\right)$
 ${11}{,}{\mathrm{symbol}}{=}{\mathrm{Na}}{,}{\mathrm{name}}{=}{\mathrm{sodium}}{,}{\mathrm{names}}{=}\left\{{\mathrm{sodium}}\right\}{,}{\mathrm{density}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{0.97}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{\mathrm{undefined}}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}\frac{{g}}{{{\mathrm{cm}}}^{{3}}}\right]{,}{\mathrm{electronegativity}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{0.93}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{\mathrm{undefined}}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}{1}\right]{,}{\mathrm{ionizationenergy}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{5.1391}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{\mathrm{undefined}}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}{\mathrm{eV}}\right]{,}{\mathrm{meltingpoint}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{370.87}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{\mathrm{undefined}}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}{K}\right]{,}{\mathrm{boilingpoint}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{1156.}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{\mathrm{undefined}}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}{K}\right]{,}{\mathrm{electronaffinity}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{0.547926}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{0.000025}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}{\mathrm{eV}}\right]{,}{\mathrm{atomicweight}}{=}\left[{\mathrm{value}}{=}{22.989770}{,}{\mathrm{uncertainty}}{=}{2.}{×}{{10}}^{{-6}}{,}{\mathrm{units}}{=}{\mathrm{amu}}\right]$ (4)

Get the atomic weight of sodium.

 > $\mathrm{evalf}\left(\mathrm{Element}\left(\mathrm{Na},\mathrm{atomicweight}\right)\right)$
 ${3.817543727}{×}{{10}}^{{-26}}$ (5)

Get the isotopes of sodium.

 > $\mathrm{GetIsotopes}\left(\mathrm{element}=\mathrm{Na}\right)$
 ${{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{18}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{19}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{20}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{21}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{22}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{23}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{24}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{25}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{26}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{27}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{28}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{29}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{30}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{31}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{32}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{33}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{34}}{,}{{\mathrm{Na}}}_{{35}}$ (6)