Delta Symbol: Change

Uppercase delta (Δ) at most times means “change” or “the change” in maths.

What does δ and δ mean in chemistry?

Delta (uppercase/lowercase Δ δ), is a letter of the Greek alphabet, used to represent the “d” sound in Ancient and Modern Greek. In molecular chemistry, the lower case Greek letter δ is used to represent a partial charge. This is always less than the unit charge associated with an ion, but has no real fixed value.

We define the enthalpy change (ΔH) as the heat of a process when pressure is held constant: The letter H stands for “enthalpy,” a kind of energy, while the Δ implies a change in the quantity.

What is Delta Δ for the reaction?

Δ = represents the change in the enthalpy; (ΔHproducts -ΔHreactants) a positive value indicates the products have greater enthalpy, or that it is an endothermic reaction (heat is required)

Named for the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet (shaped like a triangle), a delta is a triangular area where a major river divides into several smaller parts that usually flow into a larger body of water. Despite frequent floods, farmers often settle in a delta for this reason.