Re: Why "p" for momentum?

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#5029

From: Joe Voros
Date: Mon, 16 Nov 1992 03:09

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mox@vpnet.chi.il.us (William Moxley) writes:
> Does anyone know why "p" was chosen to represent momentum?  Other than
> that "m" was already taken?

It is tied to the fact that "q" is used to designate position.  As my
.signature has attested for a bloody long time now, Quantum Mechanics is
God's way of reminding us to mind our P's and Q's.

:)

-- 
Joe Voros
Department of Physics, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, 3168, Australia.
voros@physics.monash.edu.au
Quantum Mechanics is God's way of telling you to mind your P_i's and Q_j's.

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From: voros@physics.monash.edu.au (Joe Voros)
Newsgroups: sci.physics
Subject: Re: Why "p" for momentum?
Message-ID: <1992Nov16.140908.1@physics.monash.edu.au>
Date: 16 Nov 92 03:09:08 GMT
References: <1992Nov14.133853.10928@vpnet.chi.il.us> <1992Nov14.151943.1@cubldr.colorado.edu>
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