Beta Symbol β Copy & Paste: Greek Letter, Finance & Physics

The beta symbol (β) is the second letter of the Greek alphabet. It appears in finance, physics, mathematics, engineering, and software development. From stock market risk to radioactive decay to beta testing, this symbol carries weight across many fields. Every variation is below, ready to copy.

All Beta Symbols

Beta in Finance: The Beta Coefficient

In finance, beta (β) measures a stock's volatility relative to the overall market. A beta of 1.0 means the stock moves with the market. A beta above 1.0 means higher volatility (more risk, potentially higher returns). A beta below 1.0 means lower volatility (less risk, lower expected returns).

• β = 1.0: Moves in line with the market
• β > 1.0: More volatile than the market (e.g., tech stocks often have β around 1.5)
• β < 1.0: Less volatile than the market (e.g., utility stocks often have β around 0.5)
• β = 0: No correlation with the market (e.g., cash)
• β < 0: Moves opposite to the market (rare, some inverse ETFs)

Beta in Physics and Science

• Beta radiation (β): High-energy electrons or positrons emitted during radioactive beta decay. Henri Becquerel discovered this in 1900.
• Beta particles (β⁻, β⁺): β⁻ is an electron, β⁺ is a positron. Medical PET scans use positron emission.
• Sound intensity (β): In acoustics, β represents sound intensity level in decibels
• Thermodynamics: β = 1/(kT) where k is Boltzmann's constant and T is temperature
• Special relativity: β = v/c, the ratio of velocity to the speed of light

Beta in Mathematics

• Beta function (B): A special function related to the gamma function, used in calculus and statistics
• Beta distribution: A probability distribution defined on [0, 1], used in Bayesian statistics and A/B testing
• Regression coefficients: In statistics, β represents the slope in linear regression (y = α + βx)
• Type II error: In hypothesis testing, β is the probability of a false negative (failing to detect a real effect)

Beta in Software Development

In software, "beta" refers to the testing phase after alpha. A beta release is feature-complete but may contain bugs. Open betas let the public test software before official release. The term originated at IBM in the 1950s and has become standard across the entire tech industry.

How to Type the Beta Symbol

Windows

• Microsoft Word: type 03B2 then press Alt+X
• Or use Character Map: search for "beta"

Mac

• Use Character Viewer: Control+Command+Space, search "beta"

Linux

• Press Ctrl+Shift+U, type 03B2, press Enter

iPhone & Android

• iPhone: Add Greek keyboard in Settings, then find β. Or copy from this page.
• Android: Add Greek keyboard via Gboard settings. Or copy from above.

LaTeX and HTML Codes

The Variant Beta (ϐ)

The curly or variant beta (ϐ, U+03D0) is an alternative form of the lowercase beta used in some Greek typesetting contexts. In modern usage, β and ϐ are interchangeable, though β is far more common. The variant form appears primarily in classical Greek typography.

Related Symbols

• Alpha (α): The first Greek letter, used alongside beta in finance and statistics
• Gamma (γ): The third Greek letter, used in options trading and physics
• Delta (Δ): Fourth Greek letter, used for change in mathematics
• Sigma (Σ): Eighteenth Greek letter, used for summation