Alpha facts for kids
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Quick facts for kids Greek alphabet |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Αα | Alpha | Νν | Nu |
| Ββ | Beta | Ξξ | Xi |
| Γγ | Gamma | Οο | Omicron |
| Δδ | Delta | Ππ | Pi |
| Εε | Epsilon | Ρρ | Rho |
| Ζζ | Zeta | Σσ | 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 |
| Other letters | |||
| Ϝϝ | Digamma | Ϟϟ | Koppa |
| Ϛϛ | Stigma | Ϡϡ | Sampi |
| Ͱͱ | Heta | Ϸϸ | Sho |
| Ϻϻ | San | ||
Alpha is the very first letter of the Greek alphabet. It looks like Α (big letter) and α (small letter). People in Ancient Greece and today in Modern Greece use it to make the "a" sound.
Contents
What is Alpha?
In the system of Greek numerals, Alpha has a special value: it means the number 1. Many letters in other alphabets actually came from Alpha! For example, the letter A in the Roman alphabet (which we use for English) and the letter А in the Cyrillic alphabet (used in languages like Russian) both started from Alpha.
Where is Alpha Used?
Alpha is not just a letter; it's also used as a symbol in many areas of science and mathematics.
Alpha in Science
In physics and chemistry, Alpha often names special things. For example, an alpha particle is a tiny particle made of two protons and two neutrons stuck together. It's exactly like the center part (called the nucleus) of a helium atom!
Alpha in Math
In mathematics, especially in algebra, the symbol alpha (α) is often used to name angles. It's a handy way to talk about different angles in a problem. In statistics, alpha can also represent the statistical significance level, which helps scientists decide if their results are important.
Related pages
Images for kids
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Memorial Stained Glass window, Royal Military College of Canada features Alpha and Omega
See also
In Spanish: Α para niños
