Why are plasmas able to conduct electricity?
Plasmas are electricity: all ions, free to move.
Plasmas are able to conduct electricity because they consist of charged particles called ions and free electrons that are capable of moving freely within the plasma. This means that plasmas have the ability to conduct electric current.
To understand why plasmas can conduct electricity, it is helpful to have a basic understanding of how electric current works. Electric current is the flow of electric charge through a conductor, which can be a solid, liquid, or gas. In most conductors, electric current is facilitated by the movement of free electrons.
In plasmas, the atoms or molecules have been ionized, meaning they have gained or lost electrons to become charged ions. These ions and free electrons are no longer bound together, allowing them to move independently. This mobility of charged particles enables plasmas to conduct electricity.
In practical terms, when a voltage is applied to a plasma, the electric field caused by the voltage accelerates the free electrons and ions in the plasma. As the charged particles gain energy from the electric field, they move and collide with other particles, transferring the energy. This movement of charged particles constitutes the flow of electric current through the plasma.
It is important to note that plasmas are distinct from gases because of their ionized nature. In a gas, the majority of atoms or molecules are electrically neutral. In a plasma, enough ions and free electrons are present to allow for the conduction of electricity.
In summary, plasmas can conduct electricity because they consist of ionized particles, including charged ions and free electrons, which are able to move freely and transmit electric current when a voltage is applied.