Delta Symbol in Science

The Delta symbol has been used for centuries in mathematical equations, physical formulas, chemical formulas, musical notations, and legal shorthand, as well as signatures and various signs, etc. Modern days’ Delta symbol uses are varied and cover a large number of fields of science. At that, it is interesting that the uppercase and the lowercase Delta symbols can be used to denote different kinds of concepts.

The most common scientific uses of Delta symbol include a change in quantity, a continuity, or a limit of something. The Delta symbol can also mean a deflection, a vertex degree, a transition function, the force of interest, the declination of an object, an auxiliary function, a functional of derivative, and many other things.

There are numerous other uses of the Delta symbol. For many centuries this symbol has been used as a sign of being educated, knowledgeable, and interested in science. For example, a Scottish scientist and physicist James Forbes used the Delta symbol as his personal signature. In the late 19th century, a large group of American scholars and educators established a sorority named "Triple-Delta" based at Boston University. The American Dental Association uses the Delta Symbol as the symbol of American dentistry. The national dental plan system is also called Delta Dental.