Plasma (physics)

:This article is about plasma in the sense of an ionized gas. For other uses of the term, such as blood plasma, see plasma (disambiguation).

Related Topics:
Blood plasma - Plasma (disambiguation)

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In physics and chemistry, a plasma is an ionized gas, and is usually considered to be a distinct phase of matter. "Ionized" in this case means that at least one electron has been removed from a significant fraction of the molecules. The free electric charges make the plasma electrically conductive so that it couples strongly to electromagnetic fields. This fourth state of matter was first identified by Sir William Crookes in 1879 and dubbed "plasma" by Irving Langmuir in 1928, because it reminded him of a blood plasma .

Related Topics:
Physics - Chemistry - Phase of matter - Electron - Electric charge - Electrically conductive - Electromagnetic field - Sir William Crookes - 1879 - Irving Langmuir - Blood plasma

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