Question

Describe the properties of plasma and BEC

Answer 1

Every substance is made up of tiny particles called atoms but each atom is made of tiny subatomic particles called electrons, protons, and neutrons. Each electron has one negative charge. An ion is a charged entity.

• Plasma is the fourth state of matter and is a mixture of free electrons and ions.
• Plasma is created on earth by passing electricity through gases at very low pressure.
• The gases are taken in a tube called a discharge tube and then a strong electromagnetic field is applied with a laser or microwave generator.
• In neon signboards, neon gas is taken at very low pressure, and electricity is passed to get plasma.
• This plasma makes the neon signboard glow.

There are three forms of plasma :

1. Artificially produced plasma-like found in plasma displays including TV screens, fluorescent tubes, neon bulbs, and in rocket exhaust, etc.
2. Terrestrial plasma-like lightning, ionosphere, polar wind, etc.
3. Space and astrophysical plasma like in space, stars, solar wind, space in galaxies, etc.

Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is the fifth state of matter that is formed when a gas of bosons at low densities is cooled to temperatures near to absolute zero. Examples - Superconductors and superfluids are the two examples of BEC.