UIUC Physics
Lecture Demonstration
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Demo # 441
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Commercial Plasma Ball
Description:
Charges of the same type are concentrated on the ball in the center of the sphere. To get away from each other, they leap to the outer sphere. If a person touches the sphere, the charges will use the person as a path to get to the ground. The lecturer may also bring a fluorescent light bulb near the plasma ball, so that the bulb will light up from the current flowing through it.
Physics Concept:
- Electricity and Magnetism
- Electric Fields and Potential
- Electrostatic Potential
The demonstration takes about 1 minute to perform.