What Is Plasma | Properties of Matter | Chemistry | FuseSchool

Learn the basics about plasma - the fourth state of matter, when learning about properties of matter. When ice is sufficiently heated, it melts to form water. It has therefore undergone a change of state – from a solid to a liquid. Recall that in a solid, all of the particles are closely packed in a fixed position, and therefore has a fixed shape and volume. The particles in a liquid are still touching one another and are able to move around one another, therefore, a liquid still has a fixed volume but takes the shape of their container. Water evaporates from a liquid to a gas. The particles in a gas are further away from one another and take the shape and volume of their container. For certain substances, if we continue to apply heat to their gaseous form, another change of state could occur. These substances can go from a gas to a state of matter called plasma. For this change of state to occur, very strong heat must be applied. When heat is sufficiently strong, the electrons are