Electricity

Plasma Ball

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Glowing tendrils of electricity dance from a charged sphere at the center out to the glass surface, and touching the glass draws the current to gather right where your hand is.

You must touch this ball at the Science Playground. It’s fun.

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Additional Information

The glowing filaments are plasma, a fourth state of matter where gas atoms are ionized enough to conduct electricity and glow.

Touching the glass makes your body the path of least resistance, pulling most of the visible filaments toward your fingertip.

Different gas mixes inside the ball glow different colors — the same principle used in neon signs.