cenchempics:Lightning in a bottleThese bolts, which resemble lightning, are the result of excite
cenchempics: Lightning in a bottle These bolts, which resemble lightning, are the result of excited argon atoms returning to their ground state. Pedro Amaral and Donald Hall, PhD candidates at Drexel University, created the demonstration by injecting argon gas into a round-bottom flask. Using a Tesla coil as a source of electrons, they generated excited argon radicals to form argon plasma. The argon atoms released light as they returned to their ground state. This photo is part of a 24-part series on display near the general chemistry labs at Drexel. “We decided to take these pictures to use as decoration for the department and also to inspire freshmen and show them that chemistry can be pretty and fun,” Amaral explains. –Alexandra Taylor Submitted by Pedro Amaral Do science. Take pictures. Win money. Enter our photo contest here. Related C&EN content: ‘Forever chemicals’ no more? These technologies aim to destroy PFAS in water Scientists at CERN hunt for greener gases for particle detectors To get noble gases to forge bonds, chemists go to extremes. -- source link
#materials science#science#plasma#drexel university