Data Analysis & Reporting
Inserting Symbols
Chemistry makes use of a wide range of characters which are not found on conventional keyboards. These symbols include letters from the Greek alphabet, subscript and superscript characters and a range of mathmatical symbols. As Chemists, it is important we can correctly use these symbols in documents. The guide below includes instructions for inserting symbols and tables of commonly used characters.
Unicode
The various symbols available to use on computers is managed by the Unicode Consortium who are responsible for the lists of available characters. Unicode is made up of characters used in languages, for example the Latin and Greek letters, and well as emoji icons and other symbols.
The Unicode website provides a full list of characters which are available to use, and continue to incorporate new entries each year.
Symbols and accessibility
It is important to try and use the correct characters when adding symbols to documents, particularly for users with accessibility needs. For instance, it is important to use the degrees symbol, and not try to use another character and apply formatting, as a screenreader would read the name of the character, and this can change the meaning. There are examples where superscript has been applied to the letter o or use of the numeral 0 with formatting applied, both of which would be read out incorrectly, and in the second example could change the value being read out.
Whilst formatting can be used to apply subscript or superscript to characters, this formatting tends to be format specific and may not survive copy and paste for example, and as above the formatting is not identified by screenreaders, whereas the correct superscript character will be read out as being superscript.
How to insert symbols into documents
Windows
Unicode
The preferred route to insert special characters is using the Unicode hexadecimal value and typing it into a computer. Unicode is a global standard which includes every character in every known language script and is constantly expanding. The Unicode website provides a full list of characters and a useful list of those commonly used in chemistry is provided at the bottom of this document.
Many Windows programs including Microsoft Word, support the inserting of characters by entering the Unicode value then pressing Alt+X to convert the code into the desired character. Note that PowerPoint and several other programmes do not support this method.
Alt-codes
This is a depreciating method for Windows which uses the decimal rather than hexadecimal numberset to insert characters. Characters are inserted by holding down the Alt key and type the number using the numberpad on the keyboard, before releasing the alt key for the character will appear. Alt codes
Alt codes only work using a numberpad (with the numlock turned on).
Character map
Emoji map
Windows key + .
Copy and paste
Common issues
Beware auto-capitalisation in a number of programmes. For example Microsoft Word may autocapitalise characters such as lowercase Greek letters which may not be desirable. Check your work as you proceed.
Linux
Unicode
The quickest and most reliable way to insert characters is using the Unicode hexadecimal value and typing it into a computer. Unicode is a global standard which includes every character in every known language script and is constantly expanding. The Unicode website provides a full list of characters and a useful list of those commonly used in chemistry is provided at the bottom of this document.
Many Windows programs including Microsoft Word, support the inserting of characters by entering the Unicode value then pressing Alt+X to convert the code into the desired character.
Alt-codes
Character map
Copy and paste
Mac OS
Unicode
The quickest and most reliable way to insert characters is using the Unicode hexadecimal value and typing it into a computer. Unicode is a global standard which includes every character in every known language script and is constantly expanding. The Unicode website provides a full list of characters and a useful list of those commonly used in chemistry is provided at the bottom of this document.
Many Windows programs including Microsoft Word, support the inserting of characters by entering the Unicode value then pressing Alt+X to convert the code into the desired character.
Alt-codes
Character map
Copy and paste
List of commonly used characters in chemistry
Formatting
Character
Unicode
Alt-code
Descriptor
Example
00A0
0160
Non-breaking space (NBSP)
Prevents a line break occurring
Numbers
Superscript symbol
Unicode
Alt-code
Subscript Symbol
Unicode
Alt-code
⁰
2070
8304
₀
2080
8320
¹
00B9
0185
₁
2081
8321
²
00B2
0178
₂
2082
8322
³
00B3
0179
₃
2083
8323
⁴
2074
8308
₄
2084
8324
⁵
2075
8309
₅
2085
8325
⁶
2076
8310
₆
2086
8326
⁷
2077
8311
₇
2087
8327
⁸
2078
8312
₈
2088
8328
⁹
2079
8313
₉
2089
8329
⁺
207A
8314
₊
208A
8330
⁻
207B
8315
₋
208B
8331
Greek letters
Uppercase
Unicode
Alt-code
Lowercase
Unicode
Alt-code
Α
0391
913
α
03b1
945
Β
0392
914
β
03b2
946
Γ
0393
915
γ
03b3
947
Δ
0394
916
δ
03b4
948
Ε
0395
917
ε
03b5
949
Ζ
0396
918
ζ
03b6
950
Η
0397
919
η
03b7
951
Θ
0398
920
θ
03b8
952
Ι
0399
921
ι
03b9
953
Κ
039a
922
κ
03ba
954
Λ
039b
923
λ
03bb
955
Μ
039c
924
μ
03bc
956
Ν
039d
925
ν
03bd
957
Ξ
039e
926
ξ
03be
958
Ο
039f
927
ο
03bf
959
Π
03a0
928
π
03c0
960
Ρ
03a1
929
ρ
03c1
961
Σ
03a3
931
σ
03c3
963
Τ
03a4
932
τ
03c4
964
Υ
03a5
933
υ
03c5
965
Φ
03a6
934
φ
03c6
966
Χ
03a7
935
χ
03c7
967
Ψ
03a8
936
ψ
03c8
968
Ω
03a9
937
ω
03c9
969
Mathematical symbols and units
Character
Unicode
Alt-code
Descriptor
Example
–
2013
0150
Minus
–78 °C
×
00D7
0215
Multiplication
3 × 10
÷
00F7
0247
Divide
1 ÷ 2
±
00B1
0177
Plus-Minus
2.7 ± 0.1
∞
221E
8734
Infinity
√
221A
8730
Square root
√4
Σ
2211
8721
Sum of
∴
2234
8756
Therefore
∵
2235
8757
Because
¼
00BC
0188
Quarter
½
00BD
0189
Half
¾
00BE
0190
Three quarters
⅓
2153
8531
Third
⅔
2154
8532
Two thirds
∫
222B
8747
Integral
≥
2265
8805
Greater than or equal to
≤
2264
8804
Less than or equal to
≫
226B
8811
Much greater than
≪
226B
8810
Much less than
≠
2260
8800
Not equal to
≈
2248
8776
Approximately equal to
≡
2261
8801
Identical to
∝
221D
8733
Proportional to
°
00B0
0176
Degrees
30 °C
Å
00C5
0197
Angstrom
1.54 Å
µ
00B5
0181
Micro
10 µL
ø
00F8
0248
Diameter
25 mm ø
⦵
29B5
(to be replaced with 1CEF0 in 2025)
10677
Plimsoll
ΔG⦵ (note also superscript)
Footnote symbols
Character
Unicode
Alt-code
Descriptor
†
2020
0134
Dagger
Arrows
Character
Unicode
Alt-code
Descriptor
↑
2191
24
Up arrow
↓
2193
25
Down arrow
→
2192
26
Right arrow
←
2190
27
Left arrow
↔
2194
29
Left right arrow
⇌
21CC
8652
Equilibrium arrow
Chemistry / Scientific
Character
Unicode
Alt-code
Descriptor
•
2022
0149
Radical dot
·
00B7
0183
Water of crystallisation dot
⌬
232C
9004
Benzene
⏣
23E3
9187
Benzene (delocalised)
⚛
269B
9883
Atom symbol
☢
2622
9762
Radioactive
☣
2623
9763
Biohazard
Subscript & superscript letters
Character
Unicode
Character
Unicode
Character
Unicode
Character
Unicode
ᴬ
1D2C
ᵃ
1D43
ₐ
2090
ᴮ
1D2E
ᵇ
1D47
ᶜ
1D9C
ᴰ
1D30
ᵈ
1D48
ᴱ
1D31
ᵉ
1D49
ₑ
2091
ᶠ
1DA0
ᴳ
1D33
ᵍ
1D4D
ᴴ
1D34
ʰ
02B0
ₕ
2095
ᴵ
1D35
ᶦ
1DA6
ⁱ
2071
ᵢ
1D62
ᴶ
1D36
ʲ
02B2
ⱼ
2C7C
ᴷ
1D37
ᵏ
1D4F
ₖ
2096
ᴸ
1D38
ᶫ
1DAB
ˡ
02E1
ₗ
2097
ᴹ
1D39
ᵐ
1D50
ₘ
2098
ᴺ
1D3A
ᶰ
1DB0
ⁿ
207F
ₙ
2099
ᴼ
1D3C
ᵒ
1D52
ₒ
2092
ᴾ
1D3E
ᵖ
1D56
ₚ
209A
ᴿ
1D3F
ʳ
02B3
ᵣ
1D63
ˢ
02E2
ₛ
209B
ᵀ
1D40
ᵗ
1D57
ₜ
209C
ᵁ
1D41
ᶸ
1DB8
ᵘ
1D58
ᵤ
1D64
ⱽ
2C7D
ᵛ
1D5B
ᵥ
1D65
ᵂ
1D42
ʷ
02B7
ˣ
02E3
ₓ
2093
ʸ
02B8
ᶻ
1DBB
Accents
Grave
Acute
Circumflex
Tilde
Umlaut
Cedilla
Grave
Acute
Circumflex
Tilde
Umlaut
Cedilla
À
00C0
0192
Á
00C1
0193
Â
00C2
0194
Ã
00C3
0195
Ä
00C4
0196
à
00E0
0224
á
00E1
0225
â
00E2
0226
ã
00E3
0227
ä
00E4
0228
È
00C8
0200
É
00C9
0201
Ê
00CA
0202
Ë
00CB
0203
è
00E8
0232
é
00E9
0233
ê
00EA
0234
ë
00EB
0235
Ì
00CC
0204
Í
00CD
0205
Î
00CE
0206
Ĩ
0128
0296
Ï
00CF
0207
ì
00EC
0236
í
00ED
0237
î
00EE
0238
ĩ
0129
0297
ï
00EF
0239
Ò
00D2
0210
Ó
00D3
0211
Ô
00D4
0212
Õ
00D5
0213
Ö
00D6
0214
ò
00F2
0242
ó
00F3
0243
ô
00F4
0244
õ
00F5
0245
ö
00F6
0246
Ù
00D9
0217
Ú
00DA
0218
Û
00DB
0219
Ũ
0168
0360
Ü
00DC
0220
ù
00F9
0249
ú
00FA
0250
û
00FB
0251
ũ
0169
0361
ü
00FC
0252
Ý
00DD
0221
Ŷ
0176
0374
Ÿ
0178
0376
ý
00FD
0253
ŷ
0177
0375
ÿ
00FF
0255
Ǹ
01F8
0504
Ń
0143
0323
Ñ
00D1
0209
Ņ
0145
0325
ǹ
01F9
0505
ń
0144
0324
ñ
00F1
0241
ņ
0146
0326
Ć
0106
0262
Ĉ
0108
0264
Ç
00C7
0199
ć
0107
0263
ĉ
0109
0265
ç
00E7
0227
Miscellaneous symbols
Character
Unicode
Alt-code
Descriptor
№
2116
8470
Numero
☐
2610
9744
Ballot box
☑
2611
9745
Ticked ballot box
☒
2612
9746
Crossed ballot box
…
2026
8230
Ellipsis
†
2020
0134
Dagger
‡
2021
0135
Double dagger
§
00A7
0167
Section
£
00A3
Pound
¥
00A5
Yen
$
0024
Dollar
€
20AC
Euro
Diacratic marks
There are a number of diacritic marks which can be combined with other symbols (including regular letters or numbers). These can be tricky to apply, as it involves the combining of two characters.
Windows
In Microsoft Word on Windows, obtain the desired symbol, then without a space insert the diacritic operator and highlight the operator with the mouse. Press alt+x to combine the characters.
For example, to obtain ñ. Add in 303 next to n (ie n303), highlight 303 and press alt+x.
Linux
In Microsoft Word on Windows, obtain the desired symbol, then without a space insert the diacritic operator and highlight the operator with the mouse. Press alt+x to combine the characters.
For example, to obtain ñ. Add in 303 next to n (ie n303), highlight 303 and press alt+x.
Mac
In Microsoft Word on Windows, obtain the desired symbol, then without a space insert the diacritic operator and highlight the operator with the mouse. Press alt+x to combine the characters.
For example, to obtain ñ. Add in 303 next to n (ie n303), highlight 303 and press alt+x.
Diacratic
Unicode
Descriptor
̂
0302
Circumflex above
̃
0303
Tilde above
̄
0304
Macron
̅
0305
Overline
̇
0307
Dot above
̊
030A
Ring above
̈
0308
Diaeresis above
̣
323
Dot below
̥
325
Ring below