plasma

(noun)

A state of matter consisting of partially ionized gas, usually at high temperatures.

Related Terms

  • mass-to-charge ratio
  • mass percent composition
  • laser
  • ionization

(noun)

A state of matter consisting of partially ionized gas.

Related Terms

  • mass-to-charge ratio
  • mass percent composition
  • laser
  • ionization

Examples of plasma in the following topics:

  • Electromagnetic Spectrum

    • Frequencies observed in astronomy range from 2.4×1023 Hz (1 GeV gamma rays) down to the local plasma frequency of the ionized interstellar medium (~1 kHz).
    • Radio: Collective oscillation of charge carriers in bulk material (plasma oscillation).
    • Visible: Molecular electron excitation (including pigment molecules found in the human retina), plasma oscillations (in metals only).
  • Mass Spectrometry to Measure Mass

    • For example, the most common ion source for analyzing elements is inductively coupled plasma (ICP).
    • In ICP, a 10,000-degree C "flame" of plasma gas is used to atomize sample molecules and strip the outer electrons from those atoms.
    • The plasma is usually generated from argon gas.
    • Plasma gas is electrically neutral overall, but a substantial number of its atoms are ionized by the high temperature.
  • Medical Solutions: Colligative Properties

    • Plasma osmolarity is the measure of the body's electrolyte-water balance.
    • The normal range of osmolality in human blood plasma is 270-310 milli-osmoles/kg.
  • Fusion Reactors

    • In most experiments, the nuclei and electrons are left in a fluid known as a plasma, which is a state of matter that occurs when a gas is heated to extreme temperatures.
    • Namely, the heating of the plasma by the products of the fusion reactions must be sufficient to maintain the temperature of the plasma against all losses without external power input.
  • Three States of Matter

    • In extreme environments, other states may be present, such as plasma, Bose-Einstein condensates, and neutron stars.
    • Further states, such as quark-gluon plasmas, are also believed to be possible.
    • Much of the atomic matter of the universe is hot plasma in the form of rarefied interstellar medium and dense stars.
  • The Atomic Bomb

    • By this time, the material in the core and tamper of the bomb is several meters in diameter and has been converted to plasma at a temperature of tens of millions of degrees.
  • Substances that Exist as Gases

    • As heat is added to this substance it melts into a liquid at its melting point, boils into a gas at its boiling point, and if heated high enough would enter a plasma state in which the electrons are so energized that they leave their parent atoms from within the gas.
  • Conductors

    • However, there are also many non-metallic conductors, including graphite, solutions of salts, and all plasmas.
  • Preparing a Buffer Solution with a Specific pH

    • A buffer of carbonic acid (H2CO3) and bicarbonate (HCO3−) is needed in blood plasma to maintain a pH between 7.35 and 7.45.
  • Substances and Mixtures

    • Chemical substances can be solids, liquids, gases, or plasma.
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