Plasma is the fourth state of matter, consisting of a gas of ions – atomic nuclei and electrons. It is sometimes referred to as the fifth state of matter, because it can be artificially generated in a laboratory by heating a solid or liquid to extremely high temperatures. Plasma is found naturally in stars and nebulae. The Sun is an average sized star and its surface temperature is around 5500°C. In the interior of the Sun, the temperature may be as high as 15 million °C! At these temperatures, atoms become stripped of their electrons and exist as a soup of bare nuclei and free electrons. This collection of charged particles is known as plasma.
The word “plasma” comes from the Greek word for blood plasma – πλάσμα (plasma), which means “something molded”. This refers to the fact that plasma can be moulded into shapes by electric and magnetic fields. For example, a strong magnetic field can confine plasma in a container, such as in a fusion reactor or fluorescent light bulb.
When heated to extremely high temperatures, atoms not only lose their electrons but also break apart into smaller nuclei. This process is called ionization and results in a mixture of positive ions (nuclei) and negative electrons. The positively charged ions are attracted to any negatively charged surfaces nearby, such as walls or electrodes. The free electrons are much lighter than the ions and are not affected by electric fields in the same way. Instead they drift through the plasma relatively freely until they collide with an ion or another electron. These collisions help to keep all of the particles moving around so that overall heat energy can be distributed evenly throughout the plasma (this type of energy transfer is called conduction). In addition to being good conductors of heat, plasmas are also good conductors of electricity due to all of those free-floating electrons! As electricity passes through plasma it encounters very little resistance making it ideal for uses such as arc welding where powerful electrical currents are used to melt metal together..
Plasmas occur naturally instars
A star’s interior has extremely high temperatures