An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
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The repulsive interaction due to the → Coulomb energy between two ions. If the ionic charge is Z, then the Coulomb potential energy is Z²e²/a, where a is some typical separation between the ions. The Coulomb pressure is expected to become important when the ratio Γ_C = Z²e²/akT is much larger than 1. In that case, Coulomb effects dominate those of → thermal agitation and the gas settles down into a → crystal.

→ Coulomb; → pressure.