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Author Topic: What does U stand for? Paul Mayer Oh get out of it Melvin, before it pulls you under! Posts: 3836 From: Albuquerque, NM Registered: Feb 2000 posted 01-07-2004 12:03 PM                        Apparently the French members of the IEC have made a proposal to make "U" the symbol for Electro Motive Force. I don't know why they don't like the letter "E". They claim it is improper to use a proper name for describing a physical property. They say we more properly use the term "current" instead of "amperage" and "power" instead of "wattage", so they ask why are we using the the term "voltage" instead of EMF or some other non-proper-name term? The reasons for choosing the letter "U" seem to have Latin justifications, but a more detailed explanation I will leave to budding junior linguists with more time on their hands and interest than I . As for me, Yankee heathen that I am I will continue to use "E" and "V" as appropriate... Some links, including an argument against this change: http://mediatheek.thinkquest.nl/~lla167/parse.php?f=2%2Fsymbol http://www.theken.org/browser_viewquestion.php?questionID=1073 http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/cpmt/newsletter/199909/fm6.html  |  IP: Logged James Falloon Film Handler Posts: 72 From: Wigram, Christchurch, New Zealand Registered: Oct 2003 posted 01-07-2004 05:03 PM                     Maybe u as in micro, for example: uF microfarads uV microvolts uA microamps http://physics.nist.gov/cuu/Units/prefixes.html  |  IP: Logged Bob Maar (Maar stands for Maartini) Posts: 28608 From: New York City & Newport, RI Registered: Feb 2001 posted 01-07-2004 05:29 PM                        Michael have U figured out what U want to know yet? Good luck to U. Please let me know when U find out what U means.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-07-2004 05:56 PM                        William - U is generally used to express voltage in formulas in German, and some other languages (Swedish apparently). For instance here. I don`t believe my guess about it being derived from "ungleichheit" or a similar word is true. It doesn`t sound quite right and bit clumsy. Actually, I think Paul may be on the right track. I thought about this too, but couldn`t find confirmation anywhere. It is possible that U doesn`t stand for anything, but is simply used to replace V in formulas because in classic Latin, there is actually no difference between U and V. For instance, "mutare" or "Julius" would be written MVTARE and IVLIVS. It is quite possible that Ohm when he formulated his law used this convention because at that time, Latin was still the basic language of learning and education. James - the "u" is actually a "μ", the Greek "m" ("μικρο=mikro"). edit - I only looked at Paul`s links a while later. The Latin V=U explanation is also given in the second link, so maybe that is the answer.  |  IP: Logged Gordon McLeod Film God Posts: 9532 From: Toronto Ontario Canada Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-07-2004 06:22 PM                     Well I don't see why all this hostility Michael asked a simple enough question even provided a link to an example so why the hostility  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-07-2004 06:34 PM                        Phil hates me because I am more beautiful and clever than he is, and I made it - I live in San Diego "America`s finest city" while he is still stuck in Hollywood.  |  IP: Logged Aaron Sisemore Flaming Ribs beat Reeses Peanut Butter Cups any day! Posts: 3061 From: Rockwall TX USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-07-2004 07:08 PM                     quote: James - the "u" is actually a "?", the Greek "m" ("?????=mikro"). actually it is ' µ ' or the Greek letter 'mu' that is commonly referred to with the U for the prefix for 'micro'. -Aaron  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-07-2004 07:28 PM                        That is exactly what I wrote, except it should not be abbreviated with a capital U. I do not if it is OK to write it with "u" but I guess a lot of people just confuse "u" and "μ" because they look so similar.  |  IP: Logged Daryl C. W. O'Shea Film God Posts: 3977 From: Midland Ontario Canada (where Panavision & IMAX lenses come from) Registered: Jun 2002 posted 01-07-2004 07:51 PM                        That and not everyone knows to type ALT+0181 to get a µ and make a compromise with u.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-07-2004 08:13 PM                  Mike, you obviously mistook me for someone who gives a shit.... >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Jon Miller Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 973 From: San Diego, CA, USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 01-07-2004 08:14 PM                     On the Mac OS, the Option-M keystroke combination (!) creates a "µ". Much easier to attempt than ALT+0181. (Why not Option-U? That combination generates the umlaut character; to generate a "ü" on a Mac, you would hold down the Option key and type a "U", then release the Option key and type another "U".)  |  IP: Logged Mike Blakesley Film God Posts: 12767 From: Forsyth, Montana Registered: Jun 99 posted 01-07-2004 09:54 PM                        Gee whillikers, where are the moderators on this thread? Some of the reponses here are skirting the "no personal attacks" rule, methinks.  |  IP: Logged Phil Hill I love my cootie bug Posts: 7595 From: Hollywood, CA USA Registered: Mar 2000 posted 01-07-2004 10:16 PM                  Gee Whiz Mike... I hope you are NOT referring to Michael and my jabs at each other. We are really great friends and always yank eachother's chains like that. Hopefully you were "in-tune" enuff to pick up on that... >>> Phil  |  IP: Logged Joe Redifer You need a beating today Posts: 12859 From: Denver, Colorado Registered: May 99 posted 01-07-2004 11:39 PM                        quote: The Big german Guy wrote: Phil hates me because I am more beautiful and clever than he is, and I made it - I live in San Diego "America`s finest city" while he is still stuck in Hollywood. San Diego is not America's Finest City by a long shot, especially if u of all people are living there.  |  IP: Logged Michael Schaffer "Where is the Boardwalk Hotel?" Posts: 4143 From: Boston, MA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 01-08-2004 12:10 AM                        Well, that`s at least the city`s motto. They keep saying that on the Radio, too. "Here`s the weather update for San Diego, America`s finest city." I can`t imagine they would lie on the radio, would they?  |  IP: Logged

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