What is the fourth state of matter?
The fourth state of matter is plasma. Plasma is an ionized gas, a gas into which sufficient energy is provided to free electrons from atoms or molecules and to allow both species, ions and electrons, to coexist. In effect a plasma is a cloud of protons, neutrons and electrons where all the electrons have come loose from their respective molecules and atoms, giving the plasma the ability to act as a whole rather than as a bunch of atoms. Plasmas are the most common state of matter in the universe comprising more than 99% of our visible universe and most of that not visible. Plasma occurs naturally and makes up the stuff of our sun, the core of stars and occurs in quasars, x-ray beam emitting pulsars, and supernovas. On earth, plasma is naturally occurring in flames, lightning and the auroras. Most space plasmas have a very low density, for example the Solar Wind which averages only 10 particles per cubic-cm. Inter-particle collisions are unlikely – hence these plasmas are termed collisi
aaron m boese Answer: Plasmas I believe are being considered a fourth state of matter. A plasma is essentially a really hot, ionized gas. Argon forms nice plasmas rather easily. An analytical instrument uses a plasma for trace element detection. It’s called ICP-AES which stands for inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy. Argon is sent into a quartz torch where it is ionized by a spark from a tesla coil. The plasma is then maintained by an RF (radio frequency) generator. The RF creates a field in one direction while the ionized argon is going against it. This creates a whole lot of ohmic (resistance) heating thus sustaining the plasma. It’s really an incredible sight! I use one in my research. The plasma can reach temperatures upward of 10,000 K (or 9,727 C which is more than 17,500 F!).
There are a number of candidates for “fourth” phase – actually condensed matter physicists probably know about 20-30 different phases(determined by magnetic or electrical properties forexample – that is if you count insulators and metals asdifferent phases). However, I believe the standard answeris that, as you heat things up, first they go from solid to liquid, then to gas, and finally to an ionized plasma. And particle physicists would go beyond that to describe even higher temperatures when nuclear energies become comparable to the temperature, but such temperatures have not been reached here on earth (even fusion reactors just use the plasma phase and rely on relatively rare nuclear reactions). Well maybe in some very high energy particle collisions…A plasma is just what happens when the temperature is so high that the atoms start to lose their outer electrons in collisions, and the plasma consists of positive ions and negative electrons moving about freely.
