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Q:
What gas is used inside of plasma balls?
- Daimhin (age 17)
Adelaide, Australia
A:
Daimhin -
There are a wide variety of gases that can be used in a plasma
ball. Probably the most common, since they produce such bright light
are helium and neon. (I believe that the plasma ball that the Physics
Van uses contains a mixture of helium and neon, although I am not
certain.) Different gases produce light of not only different
intensities, but of different colors. The light that comes from helium
is blue-purple and neon makes orange-red. Other gases that can be used,
with varying results, include nitrogen, carbon dioxide, xenon, argon,
krypton, and even air.
For more information on plasma balls, the source of this info, and
more details on the other gases that I mentioned, check out this
link.
-Tamara
(published on 10/22/2007)
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