Tau

Greek Letter Tau (Ταυ - Τ)

Greek and Latin "T", is taken from the Semitic languages which used a cross. Interestingly, some of the early Christian writers thought this letter has a special correlation with the Cross.

"Τ" Letter in mathematics and in science

τ represents:

• an interval of time
• a mean lifetime
• torque, the rotational force in mechanics.
• the elementary tau lepton particle in particle physics.
• the lifetime of a spontaneous emission process.
• the time constant of any device, such as an RC circuit.
• proper time in relativity.
• a coefficient of correlation - see Kendall's tau.
• the Golden ratio 1.618... (although φ (phi) is more common)
• Ramanujan's tau function in number theory.
• tau in astronomy is a measure of opacity, or how much sunlight cannot penetrate the atmosphere.
• tau in biochemistry is a protein associated to microtubules.
• shear stress in continuum mechanics.
• the number of divisors of highly composite numbers
• the prefix of many stars, via the Bayer stellar designation system.

Greek words with "τ"

ταύρος, τραπέζι