In this page, we have answered the question: Explain how a gas can be made to conduct electricity.
Explain how a gas can be made to conduct electricity
A gas can be made to conduct electricity by adding sufficient energy to the gas to ionize it.
This means that the gas molecules have been stripped of electrons, creating positive ions and free electrons.
The free electrons can then move through the gas and carry an electric current, making the gas an electrically conductive medium.
There are two main ways to ionize a gas
1. By heating
The gas is heated to a high temperature, causing the electrons to be stripped from the molecules and become free. This method is used to create plasma, which is a highly ionized gas that is used in some industrial applications.
2. By applying an electric field
A high voltage electric field is applied to the gas, causing the electrons to be stripped from the molecules. This method is used in gas discharge tubes and is commonly used to create neon signs.
In both cases, the presence of free electrons and positive ions allows the gas to conduct electricity.
The electrical conductivity of a gas depends on its temperature, pressure, and the strength of the electric field applied to it.
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