The fourth state of matter happens when electrons,
energized enough to escape their atomic nuclei,
collectively generate electric and magnetic
fields and become conductive.
Irving Langmuir studied when thermionic emission
ionizes a gas in a vacuum tube to change
the behavior of the gas, and, because
it reminded him of blood plasma, called it “plasma.”
Plasmas
Lightning strikes, sprites, and Saint Elmo’s fires
are glowing plasmas
from natural electrostatic discharges.
The solar wind is a plasma
of electrons, protons, and alpha particles
that stream through space.
Polar aurorae are from interactions
of the earth’s magnetic field
with solar and magnetospheric plasmas.
The sun and the stars are luminous
spheres of plasma.
Interstellar nebulae are plasma clouds.
Interplanetary, interstellar,
and intergalactic spaces
are permeated with plasmas.
*
Fluorescent and neon lights contain plasmas.
Large TV diplays contain many small plasma cells.
Arc lamps and arc welders create plasmas.
Even static electric sparks are plasmas.
Langmuir probe
Electrons in a plasma
have a temperature
and a density, and the plasma
has an electric potential
measured with a Langmuir probe,
bearing in mind that the probe itself
affects plasma properties.
It doesn’t exist
It takes a while for reality to set in,
like almost a thousand years.
We used to be able to count the cases,
simple as A, B, C.
Maybe eventually our senses
will register it.
Maybe eventually
we will all mature in our sensibilities.
Maybe eventually we will make our lives
as deliberate as fairy tales.
It’s always a good idea, as a scientist,
to look at the cases that we cannot explain.
Some things are so obvious that it may take some genius to see them.
It’s always a good idea, as a scientist, to look at the cases that we cannot explain. Some things are so obvious that it may take some genius to see them.
See also in The book of science:
Readings in wikipedia:
Other readings: