Which of the following best describes plasma?
A) a group of super cooled particles with very low kinetic energy
B) an ionized group of particles with low kinetic energy
C) a gas that becomes a solid without first becoming a liquid
D)an electrically charged gas with very high kinetic energy
D) is best, but they should have said temperature instead of kinetic energy. Kinetic energy is often associated with the flow velocity of the gas, which can be zero. The average kinetic energy of the atoms, electrons and ions is associated with the temperature.
D) an electrically charged gas with very high kinetic energy
The best description of plasma is D) an electrically charged gas with very high kinetic energy.
To understand why this is the correct answer, let's break down the description of plasma. Plasma is considered the fourth state of matter, in addition to solid, liquid, and gas. It exists when a gas is heated to very high temperatures or subjected to strong electric fields, causing the atoms or molecules to lose some or all of their electrons, resulting in a collection of positively charged ions and negatively charged electrons.
Plasma differs from gas because it contains free charged particles (ions and electrons) that are not present in a regular gas. These free charged particles give plasma its unique properties, such as the ability to conduct electricity and respond to electromagnetic fields.
Plasma also has very high kinetic energy. The increased temperature and the presence of charged particles leads to more random and rapid motion of the particles, resulting in higher kinetic energy compared to a regular gas.
So, the correct answer is D) an electrically charged gas with very high kinetic energy.