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.

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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

2070

8304

2080

8320

¹

00B9

0185

2081

8321

²

00B2

0178

2082

8322

³

00B3

0179

2083

8323

2074

8308

2084

8324

2075

8309

2085

8325

2076

8310

2086

8326

2077

8311

2087

8327

2078

8312

2088

8328

2079

8313

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

2153

8531

Third

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

1D2C

1D43

2090

1D2E

1D47

1D9C

1D30

1D48

1D31

1D49

2091

1DA0

1D33

1D4D

1D34

ʰ

02B0

2095

1D35

1DA6

2071

1D62

1D36

ʲ

02B2

2C7C

1D37

1D4F

2096

1D38

1DAB

ˡ

02E1

2097

1D39

1D50

2098

1D3A

1DB0

207F

2099

1D3C

1D52

2092

1D3E

1D56

209A

 

ᴿ

1D3F

ʳ

02B3

1D63

ˢ

02E2

209B

1D40

1D57

209C

1D41

1DB8

1D58

1D64

2C7D

1D5B

1D65

1D42

ʷ

02B7

ˣ

02E3

2093

ʸ

02B8

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