Beatrice Lang
Those electric glass orbs are called plasma globes, plasma balls, or plasma lamps. They are clear glass containers filled with noble gases, usually a mixture of neon, krypton, and xenon, with a high-voltage electrode in the center. When voltage is applied, a plasma is formed within the container, creating a visually striking display of glowing electric tentacles. Plasma balls were popular as novelty items in the 1980s and continue to fascinate people with their mesmerizing electric light shows.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Plasma globe, Plasma ball, Plasma lamp |
| Other Names | Inert Gas Discharge Tube, Orb Corporation's Omnisphere |
| Inventor | Nikola Tesla |
| Co-inventors | James Falk, Bill Parker |
| Components | Glass container, Noble gases (Neon, Krypton, Xenon), High-voltage electrode |
| Function | Conduct electricity, Create visually striking displays |
| Power Source | USB-C cable, Batteries |
| Appearance | Multiple constant beams of colored light |
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Plasma ball
A plasma ball, also known as a plasma globe or plasma lamp, is a clear glass sphere filled with a mixture of various gases, usually neon, and sometimes other noble gases such as argon, xenon, and krypton. Plasma balls are driven by high-frequency alternating currents, which create a large voltage between a small Tesla coil and the glass of the globe. This results in bright, harmless lightning bolts that respond to touch and sound.
The plasma ball contains a high-voltage electrode in its centre. When voltage is applied, plasma filaments extend from the inner electrode to the outer glass insulator, creating the appearance of multiple constant beams of coloured light. These plasma filaments are attracted to uncharged objects, such as a human finger, when placed near the surface of the globe. This is due to the charged particles in the plasma streams being attracted to neutral objects.
The gases inside the plasma ball are typically at nearly atmospheric pressure. The ball is prepared by pumping out as much air as possible, before being filled with neon to a pressure similar to one atmosphere. The radio-frequency energy from the transformer is transmitted into the gas within the ball through the electrode at its centre. Some plasma balls have a control knob that adjusts the power going to the centre electrode, allowing users to control the number of plasma filaments produced.
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Plasma filaments
Filamentation occurs due to the self-constricting magnetic field lines and current paths that develop in a plasma. Plasma contains free electrons, making it highly conductive, even more so than metals. As charged particles can move freely in a plasma, a ring of the magnetic field forms around the current, pinching it into filamentary current strands, also known as pinched filaments.
The magnetic fields generated by parallel filaments may cause them to bunch together. However, if the currents are flowing in opposite directions, the filaments will repel one another. Hannes Alfvén, a physicist, argued that the spontaneous formation of current filaments is a fundamental feature of magnetized plasmas in laboratories and space.
The application of the Plasma Universe theory to cosmology is called Plasma Cosmology and is a contentious topic.
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Plasma lamp invention
The plasma lamp, also known as a plasma globe, plasma ball, dome, sphere, tube, or orb, was invented by Nikola Tesla during his experimentation with high-frequency currents in an evacuated glass tube. Tesla was studying high-voltage phenomena and created what he called an ""inert gas discharge tube".
The plasma lamp consists of a clear glass container filled with noble gases, usually a mixture of neon, krypton, and xenon, with a high-voltage electrode in the centre. When voltage is applied, plasma filaments extend from the inner electrode to the outer glass insulator, creating the appearance of multiple coloured light beams.
The modern plasma lamp design was developed by James Falk and MIT student Bill Parker. These lamps typically use a combination of xenon, krypton, and neon, although other gases can be used. The gas mixtures, along with different glass shapes and integrated-circuit-driven electronics, create the vivid colours, range of motions, and complex patterns seen in today's plasma spheres.
Plasma lamps are distinct from the novelty plasma lamps that were popular in the 1980s. They are mainly used as curiosities or toys for their unique lighting effects and the ""tricks"" that can be performed by moving hands or conductive materials near them. Plasma globes can also be used for educational demonstrations in schools.
The first commercial plasma lamp was an ultraviolet curing lamp with a bulb filled with argon and mercury vapour, developed by Fusion UV. This led to the development of the sulfur lamp by Fusion Lighting, which suffered from several practical problems and did not succeed commercially.
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Gas mixtures
Those electric glass orbs are called plasma globes, plasma balls, or plasma lamps. They were invented by Nikola Tesla during his experimentation with high-frequency currents in an evacuated glass tube for the purpose of studying high-voltage phenomena.
Plasma globes contain gas mixtures that, along with different glass shapes and integrated-circuit-driven electronics, create the vivid colours, range of motions, and complex patterns seen in today's plasma spheres. These gas mixtures are usually a combination of neon, krypton, and xenon, which are known as noble gases.
Noble gases are desirable for applications like plasma globes because they are non-reactive. This means that they won't corrode electrodes or degrade surfaces over time. While other gases can be used, noble gases are chemically inert and do not form molecular bonds as easily as other elements.
The preparation of a plasma globe involves pumping out as much air as possible and then backfilling it with the chosen gas mixture to a pressure similar to one atmosphere. The radio-frequency energy from a transformer is transmitted into the gas within the ball through an electrode at its centre.
Some plasma globes have a control knob that varies the amount of power going to the centre electrode, allowing users to control the number of plasma filaments and the overall lighting effect.
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Electric field
A plasma ball, plasma globe, or plasma lamp is a clear glass orb filled with noble gases and a high-voltage electrode in the centre. When voltage is applied, a plasma is formed within the container, resulting in the appearance of multiple coloured light beams. These plasma filaments extend from the inner electrode to the outer glass insulator.
The plasma ball was invented by Nikola Tesla during his experiments with high-frequency currents in evacuated glass tubes. He referred to his invention as the "single terminal lamp" or the "Inert Gas Discharge Tube". The plasma discharge is produced by applying a high-frequency, high-voltage alternating current to the central electrode, creating an electric field. This ionises the gas molecules, causing them to become positively charged ions. The colour of the plasma discharge depends on the type of gas used; neon produces an orange-red glow, while argon results in a pale blue-violet hue.
The plasma ball utilises the gas inside to conduct electricity and create a visually captivating display. The low-pressure environment facilitates the ionisation of gas molecules, enabling the formation of a plasma discharge. The plasma filaments or streamers follow the path of least resistance, typically along the sphere's surface or any conductive object nearby.
The drive circuit within the plasma ball is a specialised power inverter. It uses current from a lower-voltage DC supply to power a high-frequency electronic oscillator circuit, which is then stepped up by a transformer. The radio-frequency energy is transmitted into the gas within the ball through its central electrode. This energy can also be admitted through capacitive coupling via the glass.
Some plasma globes feature a control knob that adjusts the power supplied to the centre electrode. At the lowest setting, a single plasma channel is formed, transmitting energy to the outside world through the glass. As power increases, additional channels are created, each competing for space within the inner orb. These channels have the same polarity, resulting in mutual repulsion.
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Frequently asked questions
They are called plasma balls, plasma globes, or plasma lamps.
Plasma balls use a high-voltage electrode in the centre of the glass container, which is filled with noble gases, usually a mixture of neon, krypton, and xenon. When voltage is applied, a plasma is formed within the container, creating the appearance of multiple constant beams of coloured light.
Nikola Tesla invented the plasma lamp during his experimentation with high-frequency currents in an evacuated glass tube. He called his invention an "inert gas discharge tube". The modern plasma lamp design was developed by James Falk and MIT student Bill Parker.
Plasma is the fourth state of matter. It is a super-charged ionised gas found in every star. It is neither solid, liquid, nor gas.
