Overview
ISO 80000-10:2009 - Quantities and units - Part 10: Atomic and nuclear physics defines the names, symbols and definitions of quantities and units used in atomic and nuclear physics. Prepared by ISO/TC 12 in cooperation with IEC/TC 25, the standard gives recommended notation, unit choices (SI and selected non‑SI), conversion factors where appropriate, and conventions for numerical statements and uncertainties. It quotes 2006 CODATA recommended values for fundamental constants and includes an informative Annex A listing non‑SI units relevant to the field.
Key topics
- Quantities and symbols: standardized names and symbols for core atomic and nuclear quantities (e.g., atomic number Z, neutron number N, nucleon number A, rest mass m, rest energy E0).
- Units and conversion: coherent SI units are presented first; accepted non‑SI units (e.g., dalton/unified atomic mass unit, electronvolt where applicable) and conversion factors are provided in the units tables and Annex A.
- Fundamental constants: numerical values (CODATA 2006) for constants used in atomic and nuclear physics, such as the elementary charge and Planck constant, are included where relevant.
- Notation and conventions: rules for expressing exact ( = ), approximate ( ≈ ), and defined ( := ) equalities; recommended format for expressing measurement uncertainty (e.g., 2.34782(32) m); treatment of dimensionless quantities (unit “one”), radians and steradians.
- Table organization: quantities are presented on left-hand pages with corresponding units and conversion factors on right-hand pages; conventions for reserve symbols, pluralities, and bilingual names (English/French) are explained.
Applications
ISO 80000-10:2009 is practical for:
- Research laboratories and experimental physicists standardizing data reporting and unit conversions in atomic and nuclear experiments.
- Metrology and calibration labs that require traceable use of CODATA constants and SI unit conventions.
- Instrument and detector manufacturers ensuring consistent unit labeling and metadata in hardware and software.
- Scientific publishers, educators and standards writers adopting uniform notation and uncertainty presentation.
- Software developers building simulation, data‑analysis or database systems that store and convert physical quantities reliably.
Related standards
ISO 80000-10 is part of the ISO 80000 series. Normative references include:
- ISO 80000-1/3/4/5/7/9 and IEC 80000-6 (quantities and units for related domains such as space/time, mechanics, electromagnetism, light, and physical chemistry).
Use keywords: ISO 80000-10:2009, quantities and units, atomic and nuclear physics, units and symbols, CODATA constants, dalton, Planck constant, elementary charge for better discoverability.
