The third Greek letter, used for gamma rays, functions and display response.
Also known as: Greek letter gamma, Gamma symbol, γ
Gamma is the third Greek letter, best known for gamma radiation — the most penetrating of the three classical decay products, after alpha and beta. Its capital form Γ names a distinct mathematical function.
Is a letter of the Greek alphabet before it is a symbol: what it denotes is fixed by the field it appears in, not by the character itself. The uses below are the documented conventions, not competing definitions.
Contexts: Mathematics
In physics, denotes a gamma ray — high-energy electromagnetic radiation from nuclear decay.
Contexts: Mathematics
In mathematics, denotes the Euler–Mascheroni constant, or in its capital form the gamma function.
Contexts: Mathematics
In imaging and displays, denotes the exponent relating input signal to output brightness.
Contexts: Mathematics
In special relativity, denotes the Lorentz factor, describing time dilation and length contraction.
Contexts: Mathematics
Completes the alpha–beta–gamma sequence of radioactive decay products, which were named in order of discovery and of increasing penetrating power rather than by any property of the Greek letters.
Contexts: Mathematics
A stroke descending from upper left to a point, then curving down and left below the writing line, like a lowercase y with a straighter tail.
Gamma radiation is one of the hazards the radiation trefoil warns of.
Alpha, beta and gamma name the three classical radioactive decay products in order of discovery.