difference between ʌ ɑ

[tom3m]

What is the difference between these two: ʌ ɑ

I thought they are interchangeable.

Thank you in advance.

[5jj]

Are you using the IPA phonetic symbols, or symbols from a set of phonemes? If the latter, you'll need to tell us which.

[tom3m]

I'm using the IPA. From your comment, I am not pretty sure if they both occur in the IPA. I asked the question, beacuse I never came up the latter.

[5jj]

I'm using IPA. From your comment, I am not pretty sure if they both occur in the IPA.

That's a strange thing to say. Either you are using IPA phonetic notation or you are not. You can't be using it and not sure about it. I'll do what I can -

In the IPA system, [ʌ] is the rounded version of cardinal vowel 6 , [ɔ] ɑ back open-mid vowel.
[ɑ] is the rounded version of cardinal vowel 5, [ɒ], a back open vowel.

The British RP /ʌ/ is closer to IPA [ɐ] than to [ʌ]. British RP /ɑ:/ is close to IPA [ɑ]