The term plasma refers to a gas that has been sufficiently ionized to conduct an electrical current. As we see matter in the world around us, we are usually conscious of its existence in three states... solid, liquid and gas. We are all aware of the difference between solids, liquids, and gases, and the fact that increasing the temperature changes a material from one state to another. When enough energy is applied to a gas, this will cause an ionization of the gases atomic structure. This process is visible to us in the form of fluorescent lighting in our homes and offices, lightning in the night sky, or even our very sun. Most of the visible universe is a type of plasma.
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