Creating Superscripts and Subscripts

Letters or numbers that are raised or lowered slightly relative to the main body text are called superscripts and subscripts, respectively. (X)HTML includes tags for defining both kinds of offset text.

Tips

Most browsers automatically reduce the font size of a sub- or superscripted character by a few points.
Superscripts are the ideal way to format certain foreign language abbreviations like M^lle for Mademoiselle in French or 3^a for Tercera in Spanish.
Subscripts are perfect for writing out chemical molecules like H20.
Superscripts are also handy for creating footnotes. You can combine superscripts and links to make active footnotes (the visitor jumps to the footnote when they click the number or asterisk). For more information, see Chapter 6, Links.
Super- and subscripted characters gently spoil the even spacing between lines (Figure 4.16). You can remedy this by changing the size of the sub or sup text (see pages 71 and 156) and adjusting its line height (see page 158).

Creating Superscripts and Subscripts

Figure 4.15. The opening `sup` or `sub` tag precedes the text to be affected.

Figure 4.16. Unfortunately, the `sub` and `sup` elements spoil the line spacing. Notice that there is more space between lines 6 and 7 of the first paragraph and lines 4 and 5 of the second than between the other lines.

Creating Superscripts and Subscripts

Figure 4.15. The opening sup or sub tag precedes the text to be affected.

Figure 4.16. Unfortunately, the sub and sup elements spoil the line spacing. Notice that there is more space between lines 6 and 7 of the first paragraph and lines 4 and 5 of the second than between the other lines.

Figure 4.15. The opening `sup` or `sub` tag precedes the text to be affected.

Figure 4.16. Unfortunately, the `sub` and `sup` elements spoil the line spacing. Notice that there is more space between lines 6 and 7 of the first paragraph and lines 4 and 5 of the second than between the other lines.