Science
What is Plasma?
Plasma is the fourth state of matter, beyond solid, liquid, and gas. When a gas gets extremely hot or charged, its atoms split into free-floating electrons and ions, making it electrically conductive. The Sun, lightning, and neon signs are all plasma — it's actually the most common state of matter in the universe.
See it, don’t just read it.
Watch a 2-minute lesson with voice + animation that explains plasma.
Key things to understand
- 1The fourth state of matter, after gas.
- 2Atoms split into free electrons and ions.
- 3It conducts electricity and responds to magnets.
- 4Stars, lightning, and neon signs are plasma.
Frequently asked questions
- How is plasma different from gas?
- In a gas, atoms are whole; in plasma they're ionized — stripped into charged particles — so plasma conducts electricity and glows.
- Where do we see plasma?
- The Sun and all stars, lightning, neon and fluorescent lights, and welding arcs.
- Is plasma rare?
- On Earth's surface, yes — but it's the most abundant state of matter in the universe, because stars are plasma.