Coulomb
/kuːˈlɒm/noun
The SI unit of electric charge, equal to the amount of charge transported by a current of one ampere in one second.
Did you know?Coulomb is named after the French physicist Charles-Augustin de Coulomb, whose work on electricity and magnetism helped turn invisible force into measurable power.
Etymological Timeline
18th Century
French
Coulomb
“The surname of Charles-Augustin de Coulomb”
1780s
French
Coulomb
“Used in scientific writing as a name attached to studies of electric force”
19th Century
English
coulomb
“A unit name adopted in electrical science”
1881
International
coulomb
“Officially established as the SI-derived unit of electric charge”
Modern English
English
coulomb
“The standard unit of electric charge”
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