Can all gases be ionized to make a plasma?

[Dakota]

I sort of new to the states of matter, so please use English (explain what all the big words mean). First of all what does ionizing even mean? second every type of matter of 4 states?

 

[Khashishi]

Yes, any gas can be turned into a plasma. Ionize means to break apart some or all electrons from the nucleus of an atom or molecule. Of course, if you fully ionize a molecule by taking away all the electrons, it will cease to be a molecule since there's nothing holding the elements together. A plasma is a fluid made up of ions.

There are many more than four states of matter. But the basic ones are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

 

[Dakota]

Yes, any gas can be turned into a plasma. Ionize means to break apart some or all electrons from the nucleus of an atom or molecule. Of course, if you fully ionize a molecule by taking away all the electrons, it will cease to be a molecule since there's nothing holding the elements together. A plasma is a fluid made up of ions.

There are many more than four states of matter. But the basic ones are solid, liquid, gas, and plasma.

Thank you so much. So just to clarify you do get plasma by ionizing gas. Do you ionize something by super heating it? Thank you so much!

 

[Khashishi]

That is one way to ionize something. You can also use high voltage or ionizing radiation. It is easier to form a plasma at low densities, since there is less recombination between the electrons and positive ions.

 

[Dakota]

That is one way to ionize something. You can also use high voltage or ionizing radiation. It is easier to form a plasma at low densities, since there is less recombination between the electrons and positive ions.

Thank you, are there solid and liquid forms for all gasses too for example is there a liquid form for carbon?

 

[Kevin McHugh]

Thank you, are there solid and liquid forms for all gasses too for example is there a liquid form for carbon?

A gas will condense to form a liquid and vice versa, a liquid evaporates to form a gas. There is a triple point where you can have all three in equilibrium; solid, liquid and gas. Some solids do not melt to form a liquid, but will sublime to form a gas.

 

[Dakota]

A gas will condense to form a liquid and vice versa, a liquid evaporates to form a gas. There is a triple point where you can have all three in equilibrium; solid, liquid and gas. Some solids do not melt to form a liquid, but will sublime to form a gas.

Thank you but I didn't really understand. Can you explain for a amateur to understand?

 

[Khashishi]

Oops, I didn't really answer your question. It is possible to have liquid carbon at extreme pressure, I think. Almost every gas can be made into liquid and solid. But I am not sure if it is possible for every gas.

 

[Kevin McHugh]

The point I was trying to make is that some solids will sublime to form a gas, and can exist in equilibrium between solid and gas. I think carbon sublimes rather than melts, but might be liquid at high enough pressure.

 

[Timothy Delpiero]

So a high voltage rf emitter with say an antennae wrapped around a quartz tube would ionize carbon gases under pressure?

 

[Khashishi]

Regarding liquid carbon, see https://chemistry.stackexchange.com/questions/6068/what-is-known-about-liquid-carbon