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'''Plasma parameters''' define various characteristics of a [[Plasma (physics)|plasma]], an electrically conductive collection of [[charged particle]]s that responds ''collectively'' to [[electromagnetic force]]s. Plasma typically takes the form of neutral gas-like clouds or charged [[ion beam]]s, but may also include dust and grains.<ref>Peratt, Anthony, ''Physics of the Plasma Universe'' (1992);</ref> The behaviour of such particle systems can be studied statistically.<ref>Parks, George K., ''Physics of Space Plasmas'' (2004, 2nd Ed.)</ref>
== Fundamental ==
The fundamental plasma parameters * the [[number density]] <math>n</math> of each [[Chemical species|particle species]] present in the plasma,
* the [[temperature]] <math>T</math> of each species,
* and the [[steady-state]] [[magnetic flux density]] <math>B</math>.
Using these parameters and [[physical constant]]s, other plasma parameters can be derived.
For [[partially ionized]] plasmas, the [[fractional ionization]] and [[Cross section (physics)|cross sections]] of neutral particles are also used.<ref name="bellan06">{{cite book |last1=Bellan |first1=Paul Murray |title=Fundamentals of plasma physics |date=2006 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |___location=Cambridge |isbn=0521528003}}</ref>
== Other ==
All quantities are in [[Gaussian units|Gaussian]] ([[Centimetre-gram-second system of units|cgs]]) units except [[energy]] and [[temperature]] which are in [[electronvolt]]s. The ion mass is expressed in units of the [[proton]] mass <math>\mu = m_i/m_p</math> and <math>Z</math> the ion charge in units of the [[elementary charge]] <math>e</math> (in the case of a fully ionized atom, <math>Z</math> equals to the respective [[atomic number]]). The other physical quantities used are the [[Boltzmann constant]] (<math>k</math>), [[speed of light]] (<math>c</math>), and the [[Coulomb logarithm]] (<math>\ln\Lambda</math>).
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