What are the key differences between the free electron model and plasma?

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SUMMARY

The free electron model and plasma are distinct concepts in physics. The free electron model focuses solely on electrons, assuming negligible interactions among them. In contrast, plasma consists of both electrons and positively ionized atoms, with significant interactions between these charged particles. While some plasma models may approximate the free electron model, they diverge significantly in more complex scenarios.

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omri3012
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Hallo,

i would like to know why do we use the term free electron gas instead of Plasma?
aren't both the same?

thanks,
Omri
 
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While free electron model specifically deals with electrons, a plasma generally consists of both electrons and positively ionized atoms.
 
They are not the same. The free electron model assumes that interactions between the electrons are negligible and hence completely neglected. In a plasma the interactions between the electrically charged elements are very strong. Perhaps some models of plasmas may be equivalent to the free electron model, in a mean-field kind of approximation, but more sophisticated models will be very different from the free electron model.
 

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