
APPENDIX F: NUMERICAL CONSTANTS AND
CONVERSION FACTORS
F.1 FUNDAMENTAL CONSTANTS AND USEFUL NUMBERS
Table F.1 contains some fundamental constants that are frequently used, and some numbers
which will be useful to the optical engineer in some of the examples are considered in this
book.
F.2 CONVERSION FACTORS
Important conversion factors are shown in Table F.2.
F.3 WAVELENGTHS
Some laser wavelengths are included in Tables F.3 and F.4 [133,238,239]. The Laser Focus
Buyer’s Guide [239], updated annually, is a good source of technical information about lasers
and related products.
TABLE F.1
Some Useful Physical Constants
Quantity Symbol Value Units
Speed of