how does a plasma differ from a gas?

Question

how does a plasma differ from a gas

its for homework

Answer 1

The molecules are moving so much faster than a gas that they come apart into ions. So it is a charged state of very high energy.

Answer 2

Gasses, like solids and liquids, are first and foremost made of atoms. Plasmas really are not. They are made of the particles that make up atoms (protons, neutrons and electrons) but those particles are not put together in a way to form normal atoms where electrons are attached to an atomic nucleus.

There is so much energy packed into plasma that atoms would be basically ripped apart so that atomic nuclei and electrons swarm around each other but do not "sit still" enough to form atoms. The important consequence of this is that chemistry does not happen in any way. There are no molecules in a plasma, for example, because there are no atoms around to bond with each other. Atoms in gas state, air for example, can be involved in chemical reactions.

Another way of putting it: atoms in a plasma have been totally ionized. ALL of the electrons have been ripped off the atom. In gasses the electrons all "belong" to a particluar atom or group of atoms and stick to them due to electrical attraction.

Answer 3

Plasma is ionized gas, that is supercharged. It's very hot and fast.

Answer 4

Plasma is "ionised" gas - i.e. it is electrically charged.