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Did someone say plasma airplane wings? How cool is that...
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/space/plasma-air-control/
We just watched moving air being controlled by plasma, the lesser-known, fourth state of matter which also exists in the blistering core of our sun. And while such lab demonstrations are both uncanny and awe-inspiring, these so-called plasma actuators could produce far more impressive benefits in the real world, especially for the aviation and wind power industries, and maybe even the trucking business.
On airplane wings, for example, tiny plasma actuators could help planes fly more safely, more efficiently, and with greater stability and control. They can speed, slow or divert air flows in ways that can cut drag, fuel use, and CO2 emissions by as much as 25%, researchers estimate. Some experts even think that these devices might someday replace conventional flight control surfaces such as flaps and ailerons. Imagine witnessing the ghoulish purple glow of the lab demo from the window seat of a transcontinental flight.
(Score: 2) by requerdanos on Saturday August 27 2016, @12:28PM
The presence of plasma in TVs, neon lights, lightning, auroras, matches (potentially), >99% of the known universe, and indeed the aircraft of the article doesn't change the fact that I (and probably lots of other people) can pretty well articulate what makes a solid a solid, a liquid a liquid, and a gas a gas at the molecular level, but my description of plasma off the top of my head starts with "um..." and doesn't improve much from there, other than iterating the above examples. I think that plasma is less well-understood than other, more common (in our nearby environment) states of matter.
Somewhat off-topic, but the wikipedia percent link allows cheating: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25 [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @12:33PM
my description of plasma off the top of my head starts with "um..."
Just like fire, burning out the way
If I can light the world up for just one day
Watch this madness, colorful charade
No one can be just like me any way
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 27 2016, @02:50PM
Same AC here.
I (and probably lots of other people) can pretty well articulate what makes a solid a solid, a liquid a liquid, and a gas a gas at the molecular level, but my description of plasma off the top of my head starts with "um..." and doesn't improve much from there
The shortest explanation: plasma is a fluid (like liquid or gas) that reacts to electric or magnetic fields. Done. You can also mention that it's ionized (which is why it reacts to the E&B fields).
But then, I'm a (novice) researcher working on plasma simulations... "And what exactly are you doing at the university?" is a question I've had to answer very often.
Somewhat off-topic, but the wikipedia percent link allows cheating: " rel="url2html-8293">https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%25
Yeah, I know, I just gave it as an example to make sure it's not something with the domain or w/e :)
Also, copy-pasting your text and quoting it does something weird. Looks fine in the edit box, but breaks preview.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday August 30 2016, @02:26PM
a gas becomes a plasma when it has so much energy the electrons are no longer fully bound to their atoms but are moving around semi-freely
(Score: 2) by requerdanos on Tuesday August 30 2016, @05:07PM
Thanks. That's the start on an explanation I can wrap my head around. How do they normally gain this energy?