Plasma: Electrons, Atoms and Magnetic Fields

[superg33k]

A plasma is when electrons become unbound by their atoms. So does that mean that you can get a different plasma for all different types of atoms (like gold plasma and helium plasma)?

Also the electrons are not free as they are bound to the plasma (but not individual neuclei) by the magentic currents enduced by the movements of other particles. Are they also bound to the plasma from the electric field of neuclei but just not bound to any particular neuclei? Or is the electric field binding particles to the plasma negligible compared to the magnetic field?

Thanks in advance for your plastastic help.

 

[superg33k]

The temperature of plasma is very high. So the electrons will be moving very fast (faster than the heavy protons) so the magnetic field will make any electric field negligible. But I still have no idea if you can get gold plasma vs helium plasma? I figure you can't get H2O plasma as its the electrons that hold H and O to make H2O, and they fly about willy nilly so won't do anything to hold a molocule together. Is this thinking right? And can you get different neuclei in plasma? Or have they broken apart at this temp too?

 

[artikk]

I'm by no means a plasma expert but it seems to me that there wouldn't be different plasma types(at least classified by type of element/atom) since the electrons that are freed are the same for all elements.

 

[superg33k]

I'm by no means a plasma expert but it seems to me that there wouldn't be different plasma types(at least classified by type of element/atom) since the electrons that are freed are the same for all elements.

The atoms would be different due to their different number of protrons and neutrons, even without any electorns. Well at least that's my thinking.

 

[sophiecentaur]

I'm by no means a plasma expert but it seems to me that there wouldn't be different plasma types(at least classified by type of element/atom) since the electrons that are freed are the same for all elements.

I guess you are implying (reasonably, it seems to me) that the chemistry of different plasmas would not be as different as the chemistry of the same atoms un-ionised. After all, the outer electrons are missing and the atoms are likely to be too energetic to be interested in one another.

 

[Drakkith]

A plasma is when electrons become unbound by their atoms. So does that mean that you can get a different plasma for all different types of atoms (like gold plasma and helium plasma)?

Also the electrons are not free as they are bound to the plasma (but not individual neuclei) by the magentic currents enduced by the movements of other particles. Are they also bound to the plasma from the electric field of neuclei but just not bound to any particular neuclei? Or is the electric field binding particles to the plasma negligible compared to the magnetic field?

Thanks in advance for your plastastic help.

Sure, having a different element making up a majority of a plasma will make it different than another element.

They electrons are bound to the plasma probably by the electric field, not the magnetic one. As the magnetic fields from all these moving particles is mostly randomized and not oriented in any particular direction as a whole. (Assuming its not designed differently by us in an experiment or something)

 

[iantresman]

A plasma is generally described as a collection of charged particles, but the species of ions does make for different kinds of plasma. More usually, the (positive) ions are mixed with equal numbers of negative ions: electrons. Ionizing any element will produce its corresponding plasma. So yes, a gold plasma is possible, see for example the paper "http://iopscience.iop.org/0295-5075/44/4/459" for other specific examples.

So a hydrogen plasma consists of protons (H+ ions) and electrons. A helium plasma consists of HE2+ ions (alpha particles) and electrons. So to be little controversial, the Sun is not made of hydrogen and helium, but predominantly electrons, protons, alpha particles and other ions.

It is also possible to get non-neutral plasmas, such as an electron beam, which is described as an electron plasma, or in metallic conductors as an electron gas. Ion beams are not uncommon.

Complex, or dusty plasmas, and often found in cosmic environments, where dust particles become charged. They can become negatively charged when they interact with electrons in the Solar Wind, and positively charge via the photoelectric effect. Other charging mechanisms are also possible. Sometimes the dust becomes be major charge carrier (it is usually the electrons in metals, the only other exception I'm aware of, is in ice, where protons are the main charge carrier).

 

[vinniewryan]

Interesting, I just started learning more about plasma yesterday, I wasn't aware there are different types. My thought was that considering plasma is both electrically conductive and reactive to magnetism, perhaps it can be used in future sensory components, such as magnetometers and pressure sensors. Then I found the Galileo magnetometer. Awesome!

 

[iantresman]

Plasmas are usually "typed", or classified, in other ways. For example:

• Cold, warm and hot plasmas
• Fully/partially ionized plasma
• Collisional/Non-collisional plasma
• Neutral/Non-neutral plasma
• High/medium/low density plasma
• Magnetic /Non-magnetic plasma
• Dusty/grain plasmas
• Colloidal/Liquid plasmas, and plasma crystals
• Passive/active plasma
• Ideal/non-ideal plasmas
• High Energy Density Plasmas (HED plasmas)

They really are a fascinating subject.