What Is Plasma | Properties of Matter | Chemistry | FuseSchool

FuseSchool - Global Education

28 Jan 201604:11

Summary

TLDRThis lesson introduces plasma, the fourth state of matter, distinct from solid, liquid, and gas. It explains how substances transition from gas to plasma under extreme heat, where electrons are stripped from atoms, forming free electrons and positive ions. Plasma's unique ability to conduct electricity, unlike gases, is highlighted, with examples from natural phenomena like lightning and the northern lights, to man-made applications in fluorescent light bulbs and plasma screen TVs. The lesson also touches on how plasma's high-definition capabilities enhance visual displays.

Takeaways

🧊 The script introduces a fourth state of matter, plasma, beyond the commonly known solid, liquid, and gas states.
🔥 When ice is heated sufficiently, it melts into water, transitioning from a solid to a liquid state.
🔬 In a solid, particles are closely packed and fixed in position, giving the substance a definite shape and volume.
💧 In a liquid, particles are still in contact but can move past each other, maintaining a fixed volume but taking the shape of the container.
🌡 Heating water to 100 degrees Celsius causes it to evaporate into a gas, specifically water vapor.
🌫 In a gas, particles are far apart, filling the shape and volume of their container.
🔥🌌 To create plasma from a gas, extremely high temperatures are required to strip electrons from atoms, forming free electrons and positive ions.
⚡ Plasma is electrically conductive due to the presence of free electrons, distinguishing it from a non-conductive gas.
🌌🌩 Naturally occurring plasmas include phenomena like lightning, the Northern Lights, and stars, which are essentially hot balls of plasma.
💡 Plasma technology is used in fluorescent light bulbs and neon signs, where an electric current heats mercury vapor to create plasma.
📺 Plasma TVs utilize thousands of tiny pixels, each with three fluorescent light electrodes emitting red, green, and blue light, to display a wide range of colors.

Q & A

What are the three traditional states of matter?
-The three traditional states of matter are solid, liquid, and gas.
What is the fourth state of matter discussed in the script?
-The fourth state of matter discussed in the script is plasma.
What happens when ice is sufficiently heated?
-When ice is sufficiently heated, it melts to form water, undergoing a change of state from solid to liquid.
What are the characteristics of particles in a solid?
-In a solid, particles are closely packed in a fixed position, giving the substance a fixed shape and volume.
How do the particles in a liquid differ from those in a solid?
-In a liquid, particles are still touching one another but can move around each other, resulting in a fixed volume but the ability to take the shape of their container.
What is the change of state that occurs when water is heated to 100 degrees Celsius?
-When water is heated to 100 degrees Celsius, it evaporates from a liquid to a gas, specifically water vapor.
How do particles in a gas differ from those in a liquid?
-In a gas, particles are further away from one another and take the shape and volume of their container, unlike in a liquid where they are still in contact.
What is required for a substance to change from a gas to plasma?
-For a substance to change from a gas to plasma, very strong heat must be applied to strip electrons from their respective atoms, creating free electrons and positive ions.
Why is plasma considered electrically conductive?
-Plasma is considered electrically conductive because it contains free electrons, which allow it to conduct electricity, unlike regular gases.
What are some naturally occurring examples of plasma?
-Naturally occurring examples of plasma include lightning, the Northern Lights, and stars, which are hot balls of plasma.
How is plasma utilized in fluorescent light bulbs and plasma screen TVs?
-In fluorescent light bulbs, an electrical current passed through mercury vapor heats the gas enough to create plasma. Plasma screen TVs are made possible by the use of many tiny dots called pixels, each made of three fluorescent light electrodes emitting red, green, and blue light, which combine to produce any color.
How does the number of pixels in a plasma screen affect the image quality?
-The higher the number of pixels in a plasma screen, the higher the definition, resulting in sharper and more detailed images.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Introduction to the Fourth State of Matter: Plasma

This paragraph introduces the concept of plasma as the fourth state of matter, beyond the traditional solid, liquid, and gas. It explains the process of state changes, such as ice melting into water and water evaporating into water vapor at 100 degrees Celsius. The key distinction between a gas and plasma is highlighted, with plasma being capable of conducting electricity due to the presence of free electrons and positive ions. The natural occurrence of plasma is mentioned, including phenomena like lightning, the Northern Lights, and stars, which are essentially hot balls of plasma. The paragraph also touches on the application of plasma in technology, specifically in fluorescent light bulbs and plasma screen TVs, where the creation of plasma is utilized to emit light in various colors.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡States of Matter

The term 'States of Matter' refers to the distinct conditions in which matter can exist, including solid, liquid, gas, and plasma. In the context of the video, it is central to understanding the fundamental concepts being discussed. The script explains the transition from solid to liquid and then to gas, and finally introduces the fourth state, plasma, which is the focus of the lesson.

💡Plasma

Plasma is a state of matter that occurs when a gas is heated to extremely high temperatures, causing electrons to be stripped from their atoms, resulting in a mix of free electrons and positive ions. The script emphasizes that plasma is distinct from a gas because it can conduct electricity due to the presence of these free electrons. Examples of plasma in the script include lightning, the Northern Lights, and stars, which are essentially hot balls of plasma.

💡Electrons

Electrons are subatomic particles that orbit the nucleus of an atom and are involved in chemical reactions and electrical conductivity. In the script, the process of creating plasma involves the stripping of electrons from atoms, which is a critical step in the transition from a gas to plasma. The presence of free electrons in plasma is what allows it to conduct electricity.

💡Ions

Ions are atoms or molecules that have an unequal number of protons and electrons, resulting in a net electrical charge. The script mentions positive ions as a product of the process that creates plasma, where electrons are stripped away from atoms, leaving behind positively charged particles.

💡Conduction

Conduction refers to the process by which heat, electricity, or sound is transferred through a medium. In the script, it is explained that plasma can conduct electricity, which is a key characteristic that differentiates it from a gas. This property is demonstrated in various natural and artificial phenomena, such as lightning and fluorescent light bulbs.

💡Fluorescent Light Bulbs

Fluorescent light bulbs are a type of lighting technology that uses plasma to produce light. The script describes how an electrical current passed through mercury vapor in these bulbs heats the gas enough to create plasma, which then emits light. This is an example of how plasma's ability to conduct electricity is utilized in everyday applications.

💡Pixels

Pixels are the smallest units of a digital image or display. In the context of the script, plasma screen TVs are composed of thousands of tiny dots, or pixels, which emit the colors red, green, and blue. The combination of these colors can produce any possible color, allowing for high-definition and detailed images on the screen.

💡Evaporation

Evaporation is the process by which a liquid turns into a gas due to an increase in temperature. The script uses the example of water evaporating at 100 degrees Celsius to illustrate the change of state from liquid to gas, which is a precursor to the formation of plasma.

💡Melting

Melting is the process by which a solid changes into a liquid due to an increase in temperature. The script begins by discussing the melting of ice to form water, which is a change of state from solid to liquid, setting the stage for the discussion of other state changes.

💡Shape and Volume

Shape and volume are physical properties of matter that describe its form and the space it occupies. The script explains that solids have a fixed shape and volume, liquids have a fixed volume but take the shape of their container, and gases take the shape and volume of their container. These properties are important for understanding the differences between the states of matter.

💡Thermal Energy

Thermal energy is the energy that comes from heat. In the script, the application of thermal energy is what causes the transitions between states of matter, such as melting ice, evaporating water, and creating plasma from a gas. The intensity of the heat determines the extent of the state change.

Highlights

Introduction to the fourth state of matter, plasma, in addition to the traditional three: solid, liquid, and gas.

Ice melts to form water when sufficiently heated, illustrating a change of state from solid to liquid.

Solid particles are closely packed and fixed, giving a solid its shape and volume.

Liquid particles are in contact but can move, allowing liquids to take the shape of their container while maintaining volume.

Water evaporates into water vapor when heated to 100 degrees Celsius, transitioning from liquid to gas.

Gas particles are further apart, defining the shape and volume of their container.

Plasma is formed when substances in gaseous form are subjected to very strong heat, causing electrons to be stripped from atoms.

Plasma consists of free electrons and positive ions, making it electrically neutral overall.

The presence of free electrons allows plasma to conduct electricity, distinguishing it from gases.

Natural occurrences of plasma include lightning, the northern lights, and stars.

Stars are essentially hot balls of plasma.

Plasma is utilized in fluorescent light bulbs and neon signs when an electrical current heats mercury vapor.

Plasma screen TVs are made possible by the properties of plasma, with pixels emitting red, green, and blue light.

The combination of red, green, and blue light from pixels allows for the display of any color on plasma screens.

Higher pixel counts in plasma screens result in higher definition and sharper, more detailed images.