Main Entry: cou·lomb

Pronunciation: \ˈkü-ˌläm, -ˌlōm, kü-ˈ\

Function: noun

: the practical mks unit of electric charge equal to the quantity of electricity transferred by a current of one ampere in one second

Cou·lomb \ku̇-lōⁿ\ , Charles–Augustin de (1736–1806), French physicist. A pioneer in electrical theory, Coulomb is known for his formulation of the law (now identified with him) in physics regarding the force between two electrical charges. He also established that the attraction and repulsion of unlike and like magnetic poles varies inversely as the square of the distance between them. In the course of his career Coulomb did research on friction as applied to machinery, on windmills, and on the elasticity of metal and silk fibers. The electrical unit of measure was named in his honor in 1881 by the Paris Congress on electricity.