Electricity is everywhere, so we don’t need to think about it. While learning about electricity, you can find it a fun and exciting time. If you can access a plasma lamp, it can be much more advantageous.
You will find it unique when a glass ball lights up and appears as bolts of electricity stretching from a central orb to where your fingers touch the glass outside. Before knowing what it is, you should know what plasma is. It may sound a bit mysterious, but you must understand that it is the universe’s most common form of matter. Compared to liquids, gases, and solids, it is more common. Plasma is the fourth fundamental state of matter. It is completely filled with ions and both positively and negatively charged particles.
What is a Plasma Lamp?
A plasma lamp is a kind of electrodeless gas-discharge lamp that gets energy by radio frequency (RF) power. These are distinct from the novelty models which were famous in the 1980s. For example, Nikola Tesla made the internal-electrodeless plasma globe. He invented it after experimenting with high-frequency currents.
People use it for lighting and the study of high voltage phenomena. Sulfur domes are the first practical ones manufactured by Fusion Lighting. But unfortunately, it suffered many practical issues and did not prosper commercially.
If these models contain an internal phosphor coating, we can call them external electrode fluorescent or EEFL. Hence, the external electrodes or terminal conductors can offer the radio frequency electric field.
The electrode positioning at the globe’s center emits a high-frequency, high-voltage alternating current. This AC flows through the filaments to make colorful tendrils of light. Remember that the colors rely on the gases used inside the ball. Generally, the glasses have neon, argon, xenon, and krypton.
Have you touched this sphere ever while it is active? Then, you must know how it can create a colorful light strand after placing your finger on the glass. You will feel your bolt of lightning from the electrode to the finger.
Why Does The Plasma Lamp Phenomenon Happen?
It happens with the help of the conductive properties of the human body. As soon as you touch the glass, it will develop a discharge path with less resistance than the surrounding glass and gases.
Fun Facts about Plasma Lamp:
- This dome is a clear glass container filled with noble gases within it.
- The filaments create beams of colored light.
- It is driven by about 35 kHz.
- Keeping your fingertips at the glass top lets you experience a beautiful light beam.
- Most of the matter, about 99%, consists of plasma.
Now, let’s know how it works. First, you can see kids doing exciting projects that help to increase their interest in learning. Besides, it helps to bring out the creative side of children. In addition, they can have an engaging environment to learn science.
You should experiment if you want to know about it and how it works. Kids see these models sometimes but don’t know how it works. In this case, encourage kids to perform the DIY science experiments if you’re willing. Besides, check out the experiment if you want to know how it works.
How Does Plasma Lamp Work?
We have let you know how it can work using fingertips or a pencil. You can use other materials at home to check the conductivity of electricity. Let’s understand how kids can experiment in a fun and creative way.
Materials Required:
- A plasma ball
- A table or a stool
- A pencil
Procedure:
- Your first task is to use a dome and place it on the table.
- After that, you need to power off the light wherever you are.
- Next, power on it.
- Now, you can find it glowing.
- You should touch it using your fingertips and observe the lights.
- After that, your job is to use a pencil. Next, keep it on the glass to observe the lights.
- At last, compare to know which one offers the better conductivity of electricity,
Result:
Remember that an immense amount of pressure in the glass creates the form of matter. While giving massive temperature to the atoms, you can find them colliding and throwing electrons. This form of matter is the ions and electrons in the glass. You can see an electrode at the center of the glass ball. It emits a high voltage electric current flowing through the filaments. As a result, we can experience colorful lights.
If you touch the dome with your fingertips or other materials such as a pencil, the electricity is conducted towards the object or you. The experiment shows that fingertips attract more electricity than a pencil.
Benefits Of Learning How Plasma Globe Works?
We have given you some advantages by letting you know about it.
- It creates curiosity among kids to learn about it.
- In addition, it helps to increase knowledge of atoms, electrons, ions, gases, electricity, etc.
- Kids can enjoy a fun and engaging learning atmosphere.
- Children can have critical thinking skills.
- They can learn about the materials with the highest conductivity of electricity because they can generate colorful tendrils of light while near the model.
- Kids want to learn science after performing easy experiments at home.
- It can boost the learning experience of children.
- Kids want to know more interesting facts about it.
- It helps to develop the understanding of basic concepts of physics among children.
Applications of Plasma Ball:
- People use these mainly as toys or decorative items.
- If you want, you can move your hands around the sphere. Thus, it is possible to perform various lighting effects and tricks.
- School labs use them to demonstrate science experiments.
- Although people don’t use it for general lighting purposes, a few manufacturers have turned the devices into night lamps. These can work as an ordinary electric socket.
Conclusion:
According to the Southwest Research Institute, it is a hot ionized gas with the same number of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons. It is the fourth state of matter which is not the same as the solids, liquids, and gases.
A plasma lamp comes with an electrode with 2 to 5 kilovolts at a frequency of 35 Hertz. You can find them in stars, lightning, Earth’s ionosphere, etc. When you supply electricity, the filaments extend from the electrode to the glass. Thus, it can make beams of colored light.
Frequently Asked Questions:
- What does it do?
It can emit electric current to make colorful tendrils of light.
- Is it safe?
As it is a high-voltage electrical device, you must use it cautiously.
- Do these burnout?
We usually don’t expect them to last forever. So these need a high voltage source that can change from positive to negative and back rapidly.
