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Why does plasma emit light?

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Plasmas are gases that are hot enough that the atoms are ionized - the electrons and the positively charged ions all mix together, but the ions remain charged. Periodically, for a short time, an electron will rejoin an ion. read more

In fluorescent lights, there is a plasma where the photons emitted are in the UV range. The glass tubes are coated with phosphors that absorb the UV light and emit visible light. The photons that are emitted when an electron drops into a lower energy shell around an atom are called Xrays. read more

Plasma state particles are usually at very high temperatures. As they transition from one energy state to another, there is an emission/ absorption of energy - typically in the form of photons. read more

An at this very moment the gas is not in a thermal equilibrium (which is the reason why it can emit light at all!). The point is that the molecule is excited because of electric field and not because of thermal motion (as it needs to be for thermal radiation). read more

The ultraviolet light emitted by the mercury discharge inside a tube is absorbed by the coating, which subsequently emits light of a different color (and with a lower photon energy). Depending on the exact material of the coating, a whole range of colors can be obtained. read more

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