PLASMA BALLS

Picture from:
http://van.hep.uiuc.edu/van/demos/Plasma%20Ball/Plasma%20Ball.htm
 WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENT
COMPONENTS OF A PLASMA
BALL?
Gases

Glass globe Charged

--- particles
A cord to
plug into
the wall Transformer
 A QUICK CHEMISTRY
LESSON…
An atom in its natural state has an equal
number of protons and electrons…..
 DO YOU REMEMBER?
+ ++
PROTONS HAVE A _______
+ +
CHARGE.

- --
ELECTRONS HAVE A ______
- - CHARGE.

So normally, the charge is neutral…..

 BUT………

IF AN ATOM GAINS AN ELECTRON,

IT BECOMES NEGATIVELY
CHARGED.

- -
- -
-
WHEN YOU TURN ON THE
PLASMA BALL
The transformer
collects negative
charges.

Like charges repel.

So the charges in the transformer

try to get away from each other.
THE GASES MAKE THE COLOR
The colored arcs
- - are caused by the
-
- charges moving
- through the gas
- inside the globe.
THE GASES MAKE THE COLOR
Here is a list of the
- - gases that might be
-
- in a plasma ball:
-
- Xenon= bluish white
Neon = bright orange
Argon = deep purple
Nitrogen = reddish purple
Krypton,Helium = white
Carbon = white or blue
A PLASMA BALL IS SIMPLY A
LESSON IN DIFFUSION
- - The negative
-
charge inside the
- - globe builds up.
-
Because like charges
repel each other, the
charges want to diffuse
away from each other.
A PLASMA BALL IS SIMPLY A
LESSON IN DIFFUSION

- - When you touch

- the globe.
- -
The charges flow
- through you and to
the earth.

This discharges some of the charge

that has built up inside the globe.