Re: [Phys-L] plasma sphere

[O A <omarakhtar01@gmail.com>]

I'd say so. As you indicate: electric field intensity increases nearest the
glass, then the gas molecules do their thing (excited, ionize, recombine).

On Thu, Oct 24, 2024, 12:00 p.m. Anthony Lapinski via Phys-l <
phys-l@mail.phys-l.org> wrote:

> I understand the basics of how these things work, but I am wondering about
> the colored streamers inside the glass. Specifically, why do they change
> color near the glass? See photo here:
>
>
> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plasma_globe#/media/File:Plasma_globe_60th.jpg
>
> Is it because the glass is a conductor (compared to the gases inside the
> globe), and the charge accelerates toward it, which energizes the gas
> atoms, and make them emit a different color? I have a large one of these
> (diameter = 38 cm). The streamers go from pink to reddish-pink near the
> glass.
> _______________________________________________
> Forum for Physics Educators
> Phys-l@mail.phys-l.org
> https://www.phys-l.org/mailman/listinfo/phys-l