Plasma Plasma

The fourth state of matter The fourth state of matter

What is plasma?What is plasma?

Fourth state of matter Fourth state of matter Most common state of matter in the Most common state of matter in the

universeuniverseMuch like gas except has free electronsMuch like gas except has free electronsComposed of positive charged particles Composed of positive charged particles

called cations called cations Examples of plasmas: lighting, stars, neon Examples of plasmas: lighting, stars, neon

signs, and aurorassigns, and auroras

History of plasma History of plasma

Discovered by sir William Crookes in 1879Discovered by sir William Crookes in 1879Defined it as radiant matter Defined it as radiant matter Discovered it through a Crookes tube Discovered it through a Crookes tube Wasn’t given the name plasma till 1929 by Wasn’t given the name plasma till 1929 by

Irving Langmuir Irving Langmuir Greek for “anything formed”Greek for “anything formed”

Where is plasma found?Where is plasma found?

99% of the matter in the universe is 99% of the matter in the universe is plasma plasma

On earth it is the rarest state of matter On earth it is the rarest state of matter Man made plasma is found in fluorescent Man made plasma is found in fluorescent

light bulbs and neon lights light bulbs and neon lights In space plasma is mostly seen in stars In space plasma is mostly seen in stars

Different types of plasma Different types of plasma

Thermal Thermal plasmaplasma

Found in stars and lighting Found in stars and lighting At extremely high temperatures At extremely high temperatures Determined by atom and amount Determined by atom and amount

of energy going through it of energy going through it

Non-thermal Non-thermal plasmaplasma

Much lower temperature then Much lower temperature then thermal plasma thermal plasma

Used in medical research Used in medical research Auroras and fluorescent bulbs are Auroras and fluorescent bulbs are

cold plasma cold plasma

Plasma in starsPlasma in stars

Plasma is created by the fusion reaction in Plasma is created by the fusion reaction in stars stars

A fusion reaction is when hydrogen is A fusion reaction is when hydrogen is transformed into helium transformed into helium

The energy that comes out of this reaction The energy that comes out of this reaction causes huge burst of energy causes huge burst of energy

The energy causes a electrical charge The energy causes a electrical charge which runs through the gases and creates which runs through the gases and creates plasma plasma

Uses of plasma Uses of plasma

Plasma is used from cutting metal to light Plasma is used from cutting metal to light bulbsbulbs

Plasma is the key to fusion energy Plasma is the key to fusion energy Some types of plasma are being tested for Some types of plasma are being tested for

medical research medical research

Plasma cutter Plasma cutter

First used to the industrial scale in WW2 First used to the industrial scale in WW2 by the U.S. by the U.S.

Plasma made it possible to build planes Plasma made it possible to build planes and artillery faster and artillery faster

Much more reliable then cold sawsMuch more reliable then cold saws

Fluorescent & neon lights Fluorescent & neon lights

Fluorescent lights differ from normal Fluorescent lights differ from normal incandescent bulbsincandescent bulbs

Fluorescent are filled with a type of gasFluorescent are filled with a type of gasThe electricity goes through the twisty tube The electricity goes through the twisty tube

thing and creates energy to ionizes the thing and creates energy to ionizes the electrons in the gas electrons in the gas

This causes the light to shine This causes the light to shine

Auroras Auroras

Caused by solar flares hitting the Caused by solar flares hitting the atmosphere atmosphere

The flares hit particles with a electric The flares hit particles with a electric charge charge

Different elements give different colorDifferent elements give different color

Oxygen: green & red Oxygen: green & red Nitrogen: pink Nitrogen: pink

Lighting Lighting

High thermal plasma High thermal plasma Caused when water molecules are Caused when water molecules are

evaporated and bump into each other evaporated and bump into each other This causes electrons to be bumped off This causes electrons to be bumped off Positive water molecules ascend to the topPositive water molecules ascend to the top this creates an electrical charge its gets this creates an electrical charge its gets

pushed down to the earth pushed down to the earth

Medical uses of plasmaMedical uses of plasma

Is used in decontamination Is used in decontamination Has been widely used in cancer treatment Has been widely used in cancer treatment Does not kill skin cells Does not kill skin cells Kills micro-organisms Kills micro-organisms

Video Video

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