Plasma physics is the study of charged particles in a plasma, which are electrically neutral but still have an electric field. The word “plasma” comes from the Greek word for blood. A plasma is similar to a gas, but it has more energy and is more ionized than a gas. Plasma is found in stars, nebulae, and interstellar space. It makes up 99% of the visible universe.
The sun is a star and it is made mostly of plasma. The sun’s surface temperature is about 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,932 degrees Fahrenheit). The sun’s interior temperature is about 15 million degrees Celsius (27 million degrees Fahrenheit). The sun produces light and other forms of electromagnetic radiation. The sun also has a magnetic field.
The Earth’s atmosphere contains plasma. Lightning is a form of plasma. Plasma can be artificially created in laboratories using devices called particle accelerators or fusion reactors. In a particle accelerator, electrons are accelerated to high speeds and then collide with atoms to create new types of particles such as protons and neutrons. In a fusion reactor, atoms are forced together to form larger atoms such as helium-4.
Plasma physics has many practical applications on Earth. For example, plasmas are used in fluorescent lights and television screens