Gamma
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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| Greek alphabet | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Αα Alpha | Νν Nu | ||||
| Ββ Beta | Ξξ Xi | ||||
| Γγ Gamma | Οο Omicron | ||||
| Δδ Delta | Ππ Pi | ||||
| Εε Epsilon | Ρρ Rho | ||||
| Ζζ Zeta | Σσς Sigma | ||||
| Ηη Eta | Ττ Tau | ||||
| Θθ Theta | Υυ Upsilon | ||||
| Ιι Iota | Φφ Phi | ||||
| Κκ Kappa | Χχ Chi | ||||
| Λλ Lambda | Ψψ Psi | ||||
| Μμ Mu | Ωω Omega | ||||
| Obsolete letters | |||||
 Digamma |
 Qoppa |
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 San |
 Sampi |
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| Other characters | |||||
 Stigma |
 Sho |
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 Heta |
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| Greek diacritics | |||||
Gamma (uppercase Γ, lowercase γ; Greek: Γάμμα) is the third letter of the Greek alphabet. In the system of Greek numerals it has a value of 3. It was derived from the Phoenician letter Gimel 
. Letters that arose from Gamma include the Roman C and G and the Cyrillic letters Ge Г and Ghe Ґ.
In Modern Greek, it represents either a voiced velar fricative /ɣ/ or a voiced palatal fricative /ʝ/. In Ancient Greek, it represented a voiced velar stop /ɡ/. Before velars, it represents a velar nasal /ŋ/ in Modern as well as Ancient Greek, and a double gamma represents a prenasalized voiced velar stop (/ŋɡ/).
[edit] Gamma combinations
The gamma can be combined with other letters or itself.
- A double gamma (γγ) is pronounced like the ng in "finger"
- A gamma with xi (γξ) is pronounced roughly like the nx in "Sphinx"
- (γχ) is pronounced like the nkh in "ankh"
- A gamma combined with kappa (γκ) is pronounced like the nk in "banker"
[edit] Use as a symbol or a term
Gamma is often used to denote a variable in mathematics and physics. In certain areas it has a specific meaning, such as representing gamma radiation in nuclear physics and the Lorentz factor in theory of relativity. In mathematics, there is a gamma function (usually written as Γ-function.)
