Lambda (unit)

{{Short description|Unit of volume}}

{{Infobox unit

| bgcolor =

| name = lambda

| image =

| caption =

| standard = Non-SI metric unit

| quantity = Volume

| symbol = λ

| symbol2 =

| symbol3 =

| extralabel =

| extradata =

| units1 = SI base units

| inunits1 = {{val|e=-9|u=m3}}

| units2 = Units accepted for use with SI

| inunits2 = {{val|1|u=μL}}

}}

Lambda (written λ, in lowercase) is a non-SI unit of volume equal to 10⁻⁹ m³, 1 cubic millimetre (mm³) or 1 microlitre (μL). Introduced by the BIPM in 1880,Donald Fenna (2002), A Dictionary of Weights, Measures, and Units, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|0198605226}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=RZfGWl-RCQcC&pg=PA153 p. 153.] the lambda has been used in chemistry

{{cite web

| title = Units: L |publisher=University of North Carolina

| url = https://www.unc.edu/~rowlett/units/dictL.html

| accessdate = 2015-03-28

}}

and in law for measuring volume, but its use is not recommended.Carl A. Burtis and David E. BrunsTietz (2014), Fundamentals of Clinical Chemistry and Molecular Diagnostics, 7th ed., Elsevier Health Sciences, {{ISBN|0323292062}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=p7XwAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA114 p. 114.]

This use of λ parallels the pre-SI use of μ on its own for a micrometre and γ for a microgram.Lela Buckingham (2014), Fundamental Laboratory Mathematics: Required Calculations for the Medical Laboratory Professional, F. A. Davis, {{ISBN|0803641028}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=VPbuAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA48 p. 48.]I. P. Alimarin and M. N. Petrikova (2013), Inorganic Ultramicroanalysis, Elsevier, {{ISBN|1483150488}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=Jl79BAAAQBAJ&pg=PR14 p. xiv.] Although the use of λ is deprecated, some clinical laboratories continue to use it.Barbara H. Estridge, Anna P. Reynolds, and Norma J. Walters (2000), Basic Medical Laboratory Techniques, 4th ed., Cengage Learning, {{ISBN|0766812065}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=qMgAbOHSlsMC&pg=PA32 p. 32.] The standard abbreviation μL for a microlitre has the disadvantage that it can be misread as mL (a unit 1000 times larger). In pharmaceutical use, no abbreviation for a microlitre is considered safe. The recommended practice is to write "microlitre" in full.Chris Langley and Yvonne Perrie (2014), Maths Skills for Pharmacy: Unlocking Pharmaceutical Calculations, Oxford University Press, {{ISBN|019968071X}}, [https://books.google.com/books?id=n4OXBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA55 p. 55.]