the difference between fire and plasma.
In: Physics
Fire, or combustion, is a form of chemical reaction whereas plasma is a state of matter. An example of where you could find plasma is in the sun and other stars.
This means that fire is actually just a reaction that is happening whereas plasma is its own state of matter.
Fire(flames specifically) is made of particles that have gotten so hot that they’re giving off their heat in visible light rather than just IR like usual. This energy generally comes from combustion(aka burning)
Plasma consists of atoms that have had their electrons leave them. It can either be by getting the atom so hot that the electrons can break free or by hitting the electrons with enough energy that they can break out and roam freely. Fluorescent lamps are a good example of a plasma that isn’t made by heating the gas up to a high temperature to strip the electrons off.
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