Plásma

Plásma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter, distinct from solid, liquid, and gas. It is an ionized gas, meaning that a significant portion of its atoms or molecules have lost or gained electrons, resulting in a collection of ions and free electrons. This electrical conductivity is a key characteristic of plásma.

Plásma can be generated in various ways, including by heating a gas to extremely high temperatures, subjecting it to a strong electromagnetic field, or through processes like electrical discharge. Natural plásma is abundant in the universe. The Sun and other stars are composed primarily of plásma. Lightning bolts are a familiar terrestrial example of a plásma phenomenon. Auroras, the shimmering lights seen in polar regions, are also caused by plásma interacting with the Earth's atmosphere.

Artificial plásma has numerous applications. It is used in technologies such as fluorescent lights, neon signs, plasma televisions, and in semiconductor manufacturing for etching and deposition processes. In medicine, cold atmospheric plásma is being explored for sterilization and wound healing. The study of plásma is a field known as plásma physics.