Plasma: The Fourth State of Matter

states of matter · electricity · space science · stars

Charged particles everywhere. Plasma happens when a gas gets so hot that electrons break free from atoms, creating charged particles that zoom around. This makes plasma glow and conduct electricity in wild ways.

Stars are mostly plasma. The Sun and all other stars are almost entirely made of plasma, superheated to millions of degrees. Without plasma, stars wouldn't shine or exist at all.

Rarely seen on Earth. You don't bump into plasma in everyday life, but scientists can create it in labs by blasting gases with extreme heat or powerful electromagnetic waves.

Universe is 99.9% plasma. Almost all the matter in space, from distant stars to the gas between galaxies, is actually plasma. It's the most common state of matter when you look at the whole cosmos.