Grade 9
  1. Mechanics  1.1. Motion  1.1.1. Types of motion  1.1.2. Distance and displacement  1.1.3. Speed and Velocity  1.1.4. Acceleration  1.1.5. Graphical representation of motion  1.1.6. Equations of motion  1.1.7. Uniform and non-uniform motion  1.1.8. Free fall and acceleration due to gravity  1.1.9. Relative speed  1.1.10. Circular motion  1.2. Laws of force and motion  1.2.1. The concept of force  1.2.2. newton's first law of motion  1.2.3. Newton's second law of motion  1.2.4. Newton's third law of motion  1.2.5. Inertia and types of inertia  1.2.6. Motion  1.2.7. Conservation of momentum  1.2.8. Application of Newton's laws in daily life  1.2.9. Types of Forces (Contact and Non-Contact)  1.2.10. Friction and its effects  1.3. Gravitational force  1.3.1. Newton's law of universal gravitation  1.3.2. Importance of Gravitational Force  1.3.3. Acceleration due to gravity  1.3.4. Free fall and weightlessness  1.3.5. Mass and weight  1.3.6. Variation of g with height and depth  1.3.7. Kepler's laws of planetary motion  1.3.8. Satellites and their orbits  1.4. Work, Energy and Power  1.4.1. Concept of work  1.4.2. Positive and negative actions  1.4.3. Work done by constant and variable force  1.4.4. Energy and its forms  1.4.5. Kinetic energy and potential energy  1.4.6. Law of conservation of energy  1.4.8. Commercial unit of energy  1.4.9. Work–energy theorem  1.5. Simple machines  1.5.1. Types of simple machines  1.5.2. Mechanical advantage  1.5.3. Machine efficiency  1.5.4. Levers and their types  1.5.5. Pulleys and Inclined Planes  1.5.6. Gears and their uses
  2. Properties of matter  2.1. States of matter  2.1.1. Solids, liquids and gases  2.1.2. Properties of different states of matter  2.1.3. Change in state of matter  2.1.4. Plasma and Bose–Einstein condensate  2.2. Density and pressure  2.2.1. Concept of density and relative density  2.2.2. Pressure in solids, liquids and gases  2.2.3. Pascal's law and its applications  2.2.4. Atmospheric pressure and its variations  2.2.5. Surface tension and capillarity  2.3. Buoyancy and Archimedes' principle  2.3.1. Buoyant force  2.3.2. Archimedes principle  2.3.3. Applications of Archimedes' Principle  2.3.4. floating and sinking objects  2.3.5. Theory of Flotation and Archimedes' Principle
  3. Heat and Thermodynamics  3.1. Temperature and heat  3.1.1. Concept of heat and temperature  3.1.2. Temperature measurement  3.1.3. Temperature scales  3.2. Heat transfer  3.2.1. Conduction of heat  3.2.2. Convection of heat  3.2.3. heat radiation  3.2.4. Applications of heat transfer  3.2.5. Thermal conductivity  3.3. Thermal expansion  3.3.1. Expansion of solids, liquids and gases  3.3.2. Abnormal expansion of water  3.3.3. Applications of Thermal Expansion  3.4. Specific heat capacity and latent heat  3.4.1. Concept of specific heat capacity  3.4.2. Measurement and applications of specific heat  3.4.3. Latent heat of fusion and vaporization  3.4.4. Heat Engines and Efficiency
  4. Waves and sound  4.1. Waves and their types  4.1.1. Mechanical and electromagnetic waves  4.1.2. Longitudinal and Transverse Waves  4.1.3. Properties of Waves  4.1.4. Wavelength, frequency and speed of the wave  4.1.5. Superimposition of waves  4.2. Sound waves  4.2.1. Nature and transmission of sound  4.2.2. Speed of sound in different mediums  4.2.3. Reflection of sound and echo  4.2.4. Sonar and ultrasound  4.2.5. Resonance and pulsation  4.3. Sound characteristics  4.3.1. Intensity, loudness and quality of sound  4.3.2. Doppler effect in sound
  5. Lighting and Optics  5.1. Reflection of light  5.1.1. Laws of reflection  5.1.2. Reflection from a plane mirror  5.1.3. Reflection from a spherical mirror  5.1.4. Image formation by concave and convex mirrors  5.1.5. Applications of Reflection  5.2. Refraction of light  5.2.1. Laws of refraction  5.2.2. Refractive index  5.2.3. Refraction through a glass slab  5.2.4. Refraction in water and air  5.2.5. Lenses and their types  5.2.6. Image formation by convex and concave lenses  5.2.7. Total internal reflection and its applications  5.3. Dispersion and scattering of light  5.3.1. Spectrum of white light  5.3.2. Prisms and Dispersion  5.3.3. Tyndall effect and blue sky
  6. Electricity and Magnetism  6.1. Electric charge and static electricity  6.1.1. The concept of electric charge  6.1.2. Charging by friction, contact and induction  6.1.3. Electroscope and its working  6.2. Current Electricity  6.2.1. The concept of electric current  6.2.2. Ohm's Law and Resistance  6.2.3. Factors affecting resistance  6.2.4. Series and Parallel Circuits  6.2.5. Heating effect of electric current  6.2.6. Electric power and energy  6.3. Magnetism  6.3.1. Natural and artificial magnets  6.3.2. Properties of magnets  6.3.3. Earth's magnetism  6.3.4. Magnetic field and field lines  6.3.5. Electromagnets and their applications
  7. Modern Physics  7.1. structure of the atom  7.1.1. Atomic Structure and Subatomic Particles  7.1.2. Electrons, Protons, and Neutrons  7.1.3. Rutherford and Bohr model  7.2. Radioactivity  7.2.1. Types of radioactive emissions  7.2.2. Half-life and radioactive decay  7.2.3. Uses and Hazards of Radioactivity
  8. Space science and astronomy  8.1. The universe and its components  8.1.1. Stars and galaxies  8.1.2. Planets and Solar System  8.2. Satellites  8.2.1. Natural and artificial satellites  8.2.2. Use of satellites

Grade 9 → Properties of matter → States of matter ↓


Plasma and Bose–Einstein condensate


Matter, as we commonly see it in our daily lives, is usually in one of three states: solid, liquid or gas. These are the common states of matter that we study about in school. However, matter can exist in two more unusual and fascinating states: plasma and Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC). These states of matter are not commonly seen in our daily lives, but they play important roles in various scientific fields.

What is plasma?

Plasma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter. Unlike solids, liquids and gases, plasma is not found naturally under normal Earth conditions. However, it is the most abundant state of matter in the universe. Stars, including our sun, are giant balls of plasma. Plasma is also found in fluorescent lights, neon signs and lightning.

Plasma is a state in which matter is so hot that electrons are stripped off from atoms, creating a soup of charged particles. This happens when energy levels are high enough to allow electrons to break free from atomic nuclei. As a result, plasma contains free electrons and ions, which are charged particles.

Energy Level > Ionization Energy

Imagine plasma as a collection of particles that are free to move and interact independently. Imagine a pot of boiling soup on the stove. As the soup heats up, the particles dance and move vigorously, just as particles in plasma do. However, the particles in plasma are charged, and they can affect each other quite differently due to electromagnetic forces.

Plasma can be understood with the help of examples like the sun and neon signs. The sun is a giant fusion reactor where hydrogen nuclei fuse together to form helium, releasing energy, which puts the gas in a plasma state. In a neon sign, electricity is passed through neon gas at low pressure, giving the gas energy to emit light, creating plasma.

Properties of plasma

  • Plasma has no definite shape or volume and like gases, it assumes the shape and volume of its container.
  • They are composed of positively charged ions and free electrons, which enable them to conduct electricity effectively.
  • Electromagnetic forces in plasma can cause particles to attract or repel each other, producing complex behavior.
  • Plasmas have higher kinetic energy than solids, liquids, and gases because of the high temperature and high particle energy.

The role of temperature and pressure

Plasma can be created from gases in several ways, but the simplest way is to introduce extreme energy, usually from heat, electromagnetic fields or electrical discharges. Let's imagine a balloon filled with normal gas. If we heat it enough beyond a certain point (above the ionization energy), the gas particles become so energetic that they break up into plasma.

What is a Bose-Einstein condensate?

The Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC) is the fifth state of matter. It was first predicted by physicists Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein in the early 20th century, but was not created in the laboratory until 1995. It is sometimes colloquially referred to as "super-cold quantum soup" because it occurs at temperatures slightly above absolute zero, a few billionths of a degree above 0 Kelvin.

At these exceptionally low temperatures, some elements condense into a new state of matter where atoms lose their individuality and combine into a single quantum entity that behaves like a wave or a particle.

Temperature → 0 Kelvin

You can think of a Bose-Einstein condensate as a controlled orchestra of atoms, moving in perfect harmony. Unlike the frenzy of dancers reacting separately to music, the BEC atoms are locked in a coordinated state, all moving together.

Features of Bose-Einstein condensate

  • BECs are formed at extremely low temperatures, nearly absolute zero.
  • The atoms in a BEC cannot be separated from each other; they act as a whole.
  • This demonstrates a macroscopic quantum phenomenon. Quantum peculiarities usually appear on a small scale, but in BECs, they appear on a large scale.
  • BECs are exceptionally stable in terms of quantum behaviour, and are often used to study things like superfluidity.

Applications and significance

Both plasma and Bose–Einstein condensate have unique properties that make them useful in a variety of applications and scientific fields.

Applications of plasma

  • Industrial applications: Plasma is used in processes such as plasma cutting and plasma spraying, which are essential in the manufacturing and construction industries for shaping and coating metals.
  • Medical applications: Plasma technology is used for sterilization, blood coagulation during surgery, and production of reactive species for the treatment of biological tissues.
  • Telecommunications: Plasma screens, which provide brighter pictures with better color fidelity than conventional TV screens, are popularly used for large televisions and computer displays.
  • Environmental applications: Plasma is used to treat harmful pollutants in emissions from power plants, incinerators, and factories, helping to reduce environmental impact.

Applications of Bose–Einstein condensate

  • Quantum computing: BECs could help scientists understand quantum properties crucial to the development of quantum computers, which promise vast problem-solving capabilities far beyond those of classical computers.
  • Superfluidity studies: Bose–Einstein condensates play an important role in the study of superfluidity and other quantum mechanical phenomena, and provide insights into the nature of particle behaviour at extremely low temperatures.
  • Precision measurement: BECs have helped improve techniques for measuring time and distance with greater precision, allowing for more accurate scientific experiments and advances in technologies such as GPS.

Visualization of plasma and Bose-Einstein condensate

To better understand plasma and BECs, we can look at the properties and behavior of particles in these states.

        BEC

Conclusion

Plasma and Bose-Einstein condensates represent extremes in understanding states of matter. Plasma, a hot, energetic mixture of ions and electrons, is ubiquitous, mainly outside our immediate earthly experience. On the other hand, Bose-Einstein condensates, a nearly absolute-zero state, offer insight into the quantum world on a macro scale.

Both of these phenomena advance our understanding of how matter behaves under extreme conditions and continue to inspire innovations and discoveries across a variety of scientific disciplines. From industrial applications to unprecedented quantum studies, the exploration of plasmas and BECs enriches our knowledge and holds promise for future technologies.


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