Background Research

A plasma Globe (also called a plasma lamp, plasma ball, plasma tube, plasma orb, plasma-dome, or plasma sphere) are glass spheres that contain noble gases and a high voltage electrode at the center of the sphere. The plasma globe was first made by Nikola Tesla use corona and electric glow discharges to create the blue and purple lights in the globe. Corona discharge is caused by the ionization if a fluid surrounding and electrically charged conductor. Electric glow discharge is caused by the passage of high voltage electrical current flowing through low-pressure gas.

Plasma is the fourth state of matter, the others being solids, liquids, and gases. Plasma is created when gases are subjected to extremely high temperatures or strong electromagnetic fields, such as the ones that lasers and microwave generators can achieve, that ionize and dissociate the molecules. Once plasma is created, depending on its density and temperature, it can take on a variety of properties that all resemble the three other states of matter. Plasma can most commonly be found in all stars as it makes up most of them, but can be found a lot closer to home in the form of lightning.