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[MUSIC]

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JOAN CARTAN-HANSEN, HOST:

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You know about the three

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states of matter:

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solid, liquid and gas.

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But what do you know about the

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fourth state of matter- plasma?

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Plasma is sort of a gas, but it

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has tiny particles that have an

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electrical charge.

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Plasma happens when gas gets

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heated to a very high

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temperature and the atoms lose

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their electrons.

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That means plasma particles can

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be controlled by magnetic

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fields.

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Plasma is the most abundant

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state of matter in the universe.

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Nearly all visible matter in the

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universe, including the sun, the

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stars and the space between them

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exists as plasma.Studying plasma

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helps scientists understand

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things like solar flares from

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the sun and the behavior of

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black holes.

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There are some examples of

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plasma closer to home.

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Lightning is actually a flash of

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plasma.

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And the glowing colors of neon

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signs are created by plasma and

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so is the light inside a

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fluorescent bulb.

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For more information about

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states of matter, check out the

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Science Trek website.

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You'll find it at

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Science Trek.org