5N20.25 - Tesla Coil - Plasma

Code Number:
5N20.25
Demo Title:
Tesla Coil - Plasma
Condition:
Excellent
Principle:
High Frequency Tuned Coils
Area of Study:
Electricity & Magnetism

Disclaimer

Equipment:
Hand Held Tesla Coil, Light Bulbs with Copper Rod Addition, Illuma Storm Plasma Ball (Radio Shack), Pickle Jar Plasma Globe Display (From Information Unlimited).
Procedure:

Remove the standard tip from the hand held Tesla coil and plug in the light bulbs that have been modified for this purpose.  You now have a plasma ball.

Different effects may be produced by adjusting the intensity and touching your fingers to the bulb.

The Illuma Storm and the Pickle Jar Plasma Globe are nothing more than Tesla coils that are illuminating partially evacuated gas globes.  These are used mostly for plasma displays.  There are two sizes of the Pickle Jar Globes available.  Connect the small pickle jar globe to the small vacuum pump and evacuate for 2 minutes before pinching shut the vacuum tubing with the pinch clamp.  Evacuate the the larger pickle jar globe for 3 minutes.  

The color of the plasma depends on the type of gas or gasses in the globe.

References:
  • James Lincoln, "Plasma Globe Revisited", TPT, Vol. 56, #9, Dec. 2018, p. 62.
  • Dan MacIsaac, "Baby Plasma Cutter", TPT, Vol. 54, #4, Apr. 2016, p. 254.
  • Martin Simon, "More on Plasma Globes", TPT, Vol. 37, #4, Apr. 1999, p. 195.
  • Nicholas R. Guilbert, "Deconstructing a Plasma Globe", TPT, Vol. 37, #1, Jan. 1999, p. 11.
  • "The Little Shop of Physics", TPT, Vol. 34, #8, Nov. 1996, p. 515.
  • William R. Gregg, "Three Inexpensive High - Voltage Electricity Demonstrations", TPT, Vol. 30, #8, Oct. 1992, p. 400.
  • Hassan F. Zandy, "The Fourth State of Matter", TPT, Vol. 8, #1, Jan. 1970, p. 2.
  • Henry Hurwitz, Jr., "The Problems Fusion Faces", TPT, Vol. 3, #4, Apr. 1965, p. 161.
  • Sanborn C. Brown, "Plasma Physics", TPT, Vol. 2, #3, Mar. 1964, p. 103.
  • Carl-Gunne Falthammar, "Comments on the Motion of Magnetic Field Lines", AJP, Vol. 74, #5, May 2006, p. 454.
  • Lewi Tonks, "The Birth of "Plasma", AJP, Vol. 35, #9, Sept. 1967, p. 857.
  • Johanna L. Miller, "Powerful Lasers Mimic Intergalactic Plasmas in the Lab", Physics Today, Vol. 68, #9, Sep. 2015, p. 17.
  • A. E. Dubinov et al., "Solving Mazes with Glowing Plasma", Physics Today, Col. 67, #11, Nov. 2014, p. 20.
  • Johanna Miller, "Time-Resolved Electric-Field Measurements Probe Plasma Breakdown", Physics Today, Vol. 60, #5, May 2007, p. 19.
  • Freier and Anderson, "Ep-5" A Demonstration Handbook for Physics. 
  • Jodi and Roy McCullough, "Modern Physics with a Plasma Ball", The Role of Toys in Teaching Physics, p. 4.204.
  • Jearl Walker, "5.5, Bead and Ball Lightning", The Flying Circus of Physics Ed. 2, p. 220.
  • Cameron Johnson, "Plasma Actuators", Popular Mechanics, Nov. 2015, p. 26.
  • Bob Iannini, "Electronic Gadgets for the Evil Genius", Chapter Twenty, "Amazing Plasma Tornado Generator", p. 209.


Disclaimer: These demonstrations are provided only for illustrative use by persons affiliated with The University of Iowa and only under the direction of a trained instructor or physicist.  The University of Iowa is not responsible for demonstrations performed by those using their own equipment or who choose to use this reference material for their own purpose.  The demonstrations included here are within the public domain and can be found in materials contained in libraries, bookstores, and through electronic sources.  Performing all or any portion of any of these demonstrations, with or without revisions not depicted here entails inherent risks.  These risks include, without limitation, bodily injury (and possibly death), including risks to health that may be temporary or permanent and that may exacerbate a pre-existing medical condition; and property loss or damage.  Anyone performing any part of these demonstrations, even with revisions, knowingly and voluntarily assumes all risks associated with them.