Re: pinhole plasma

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From: Paul Doherty (pauld@exploratorium.edu)
Date: Fri Nov 14 2003 - 16:22:39 PST 

Message-Id: <l03110723bbdb217c8771@[192.168.112.78]>
Date: Fri, 14 Nov 2003 16:22:39 -0800
From: Paul Doherty <pauld@exploratorium.edu>
Subject: Re: pinhole plasma

Hi Raleigh

Good questions.

Conversion of a solid-liquid-or gas into a plasma is ionization.

reverse conversion is deionization.

All these reactions are reversible so you can go from plasma to solid, or
liquid or gas.

The natural position on a Pressure temperature diagram for plasma is at
high temperatures where atomic collisions resultt in ejection of an
electron and ionization.

Plasmas can exist at all pressures.

Paul D

>I was talking to Hong Tran today about some questions
>I had about plasma, as the fourth state of matter. I
>kind of imagined plasma as being some form of
>extention the gas phase, but that troubled me a
>little. Our standard "Matter Triangle" seems to have
>nicely defined phase changes, freezing, melting,
>evaporating...etc, but now when I see a neon sign it
>only seems to read "You really don't understand this
>plasma stuff, do you?".
>This all started whenI showed my kids a short cd-rom
>that included about 6 minutes on plasma as the most
>common form of matter, but I can't say I was prepared
>to answer their questions about whether plasma made
>our triangle of solid-liquid-gas into a "matter
>rectangle" solid-liquid-gas-plasma (in which how do
>you describe phase change from plasma (deionization?)
>and can plasma change directly to a solid?).
>So I leave it up to you good folks. Educate me as my
>"Make Your Own Star Kit" hasn't arrived and my
>continual attempts to force Hydrogen together in a
>vise have failed.
>
>With firm handshake,
>Raleigh
>
>__________________________________
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