Tesla Coil Makes Sodium Plasma
Looking for a trick to do with your Tesla coil? [The Action Lab] uses its coil to make metallic plasma, specifically sodium. You can see the results in the video below.
To create a metallic plasma you need metallic vapor and sodium can create vapor at a relatively low temperature, especially in a vacuum. The resulting glow is pretty to look at, but you'll need some labware to get it.
Plasma, sometimes called the fourth state of matter, is matter so hot that electrons are attracted and form an ionized gas. It sounds exotic compared to gases, solids and liquids, but it turns out that over 99% of the visible universe is plasma. Things like lightning, the sun, and neon signs are all forms of plasma. Making plasma from metal vapor is a bit unusual, though, and the sodium experiment is quite an interesting and fun use of that Tesla coil in your closet.
This is similar to a sodium vapor lamp, and it also shows one. Sodium vapor lighting is in decline, due to LED lights. Need a Tesla coil? We've seen them from near perfect to simple.
Looking for a trick to do with your Tesla coil? [The Action Lab] uses its coil to make metallic plasma, specifically sodium. You can see the results in the video below.
To create a metallic plasma you need metallic vapor and sodium can create vapor at a relatively low temperature, especially in a vacuum. The resulting glow is pretty to look at, but you'll need some labware to get it.
Plasma, sometimes called the fourth state of matter, is matter so hot that electrons are attracted and form an ionized gas. It sounds exotic compared to gases, solids and liquids, but it turns out that over 99% of the visible universe is plasma. Things like lightning, the sun, and neon signs are all forms of plasma. Making plasma from metal vapor is a bit unusual, though, and the sodium experiment is quite an interesting and fun use of that Tesla coil in your closet.
This is similar to a sodium vapor lamp, and it also shows one. Sodium vapor lighting is in decline, due to LED lights. Need a Tesla coil? We've seen them from near perfect to simple.
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