English-German math and physics glossary

Many physics and math terms that are latin-source 'Fremdworte' in German are virtually identical in English,
but there are exceptions. Since we do calculations, we need math expressions, too.

The stressed vowel is marked with ' where necessary (Betonung)

4-vector Vierervektor
ansatz Ansatz
apex Scheitel(punkt)
(anti-)coll'inear (anti-)kollinear
CM = center of mass Schwerpunkt
CMS = center-of-mass system Schwerpunktsystem (watch hyphenation!)
Cart'esian kartesisch
acceleration Beschleunigung
angel Engel
angle Winkel
angular momentum Drehimpuls
area Fläche
assumption Annahme
axis (pl. -es) Achse
balance Waage
beam balance Balkenwaage
bias eigentlich: Vorurteil
.. systematische Abweichung, z.B.
.. zwischen Stichprobenvarianz und wahrer Varianz
center of gravity/mass Schwerpunkt
co'ordinate, co-'ordinate pronounced co-ordinate
coll'ision Stoß
conserv'ation Erhaltung (z.B. der Energie)
continuous stetig
debit Flussrate (Volumen- oder Masse-)
decay Zerfall (z.B. radioaktiver
decomp'ose zerlegen
d'efinite integral bestimmtes Integral
derivation Herleitung
der'ivative Ableitung (math.)
differ'entiate (with respect to) ableiten nach
distribution Verteilung
dx is a differ'ential
error Fehler
error propagation Fehlerfortpflanzung
estimate Schätzung
expectation value Erwartungswert
family (of curves) (Kurven-) Schar
force Kraft
force pair Kräftepaar
frame see: reference frame
grade Steigung / (Schul-) Note (see slope
inertia Trägheit, Masse
inertial force Trägheitskraft (Scheinkraft)
initial [value] Anfangs-[wert]
'impact parameter Stoßparameter
'ind'efinite integral
indefinite metric indefinite Metrik
integr'al, integrate
integr'ation
integral limits
mean/average [value] Mittelwert
median [value] Median(wert)
modulus Betrag
mom'entum Impuls
m'oment of inertia Trägheitsmoment
muon Müon (fälschlich Mü-Meson
normaliz'ation Normierung
orth'ogonal
ph'ysical physisch, körperlich, AUCH physikalisch!
p'olar
pole Stange, math. Pol
prime Primzahl UND (math.) -Strich (z.B. y')
(double)-prime(d) (zwei-)gestrichen
probab'ility Wahrscheinlichkeit
proof Beweis
proper time Eigenzeit (Relativitätstheorie)
pulley (Seil-) Rolle, auch Flaschenzug
pulley [block] Flaschenzug
(r'eference) frame Bezugssystem
radius vector Ortsvektor
rest mass Ruhemasse (Relativitätstheorie
rigid body starrer Körper
rms = root mean square Standardabweichung
sample Stichprobe
self-similar selbst-ähnlich
series [expansion] Reihe [Reihen-Entwicklung]
slope Steigung (math.) (see grade
standard deviation Standardabweichung
torque Drehmoment
tr'iangle Dreieck
true value wahrer Wert
variance Varianz
velocity Geschwindigkeit

How to pronounce math and phys expressions

1 + 2 one plus two
2 - 0.5 two minus zero-point-five
2x two ex
3/5 three divided by five
.. three fifths
.. three over five
10(-)5 ten to [the power of] (minus) five
.. ten to the (minus) fifth
x2 ex square[d]
x3 ex cube[d]
square-root a
( ) parenthesis (pl. -es) (opening, closing)
< > angle brackets (often stand for expectation value)
[ ] square brackets
{ } curly brackets, braces
dx/dt dee ex over dee tee
ex dot
n! enn factorial
pee-bar (Antiproton
eitch-bar (ha-quer, h/2pi
y' wy prime
Some expressions are hard in html, like x with a dot on top, let alone a partial derivative, so I will have to do them in TEX.
Last modified: 2023-10-27