Omega 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 | ||
Omega (written as Ω for uppercase and ω for lowercase) is the 24th and final letter of the Greek alphabet. In Ancient Greek, it was used to make a long "o" sound.
Today, in Modern Greek, Omega still makes an "o" sound. However, there's no longer a difference between long and short vowel sounds, so it sounds the same as the letter Omicron. In the system of Greek numerals, Omega stands for the number 800.
Contents
Omega in Other Alphabets
There was once a letter similar to Omega, called Ѡ, in the Cyrillic alphabet. This alphabet is used for languages like Russian. The Cyrillic Omega was included so that Greek names could be spelled the same way in both Cyrillic and Greek. However, this letter is not used anymore today.
Omega in Science and Math
The letter Omega is used in many different fields of science and mathematics.
Math Symbols
In mathematics, the uppercase Omega (Ω) is used in something called "big-Omega notation." This is a special way to describe how fast computer programs or math problems grow in difficulty. It's related to "big-O notation." The uppercase Omega also represents the Omega constant, which is a special number in math.
Physics and Engineering
In electromagnetism and engineering, the uppercase Omega (Ω) is the symbol for ohms. Ohms are the units used to measure electrical resistance. Electrical resistance tells you how much a material resists the flow of electricity.
In physics and other sciences, the lowercase omega (ω) is often used. It represents angular frequency, which describes how fast something is spinning or moving in a circle.
Common Phrases with Omega
In modern English, the phrase "From alpha to omega" is often used. Since Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet and Omega is the last, this phrase means "everything" or "from beginning to end."
Related pages
Images for kids
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Plaque in Kos with an older form of the omega letter.
