h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Plasma Balls (as in the lamp variety) - how do they work? (and are they evil?)

I've no idea how they work but am fascinated by the bottled lightning

Can anyone explain how? If you've looked at one closely, there is a mass of wire in the centre surrounded by a glass envelope. The energy (I assume electrons) then stream to the outer envelope, apparently travelling through the first piece of glass. The streamers are also more attracted to skin than metallic objects (even if you are holding them, so earthing is out of the question). Tesla effect? Any ideas?

More! More! Feed my insatiable hunger for knowledge....(!)

I think the wire is there to conduct the heat from the bulb. My lamp uses wax to create the lava look. The bulb in the bottom gets really hot and melts the wax which then floats to the top, cools and sinks. The wire is there to help the wax to melt faster. And Yes they are evil, they take forever to heat up and then get so hot that you can't move it.

Incase your wondering I was talking about the lamp not the lightning thing

Ahhh, lava lamps. No plasma in those things. Just goo. They are very simple hot-goop-rises-and-cold-goop-falls thingamabobs, as someone previously mentioned. It's the same principle as what happens to a pot of boiling water.

Plasma balls/globes are different and have actual plasma inside which allows visible electricity, you know, like lightening, to travel out from the center.

On a side note, the guy who invented the flat plasma lamp asked me out on a date once. It was all well and good until I found out that he was almost 20 years older than myself. Lecherous old man! Heh.

You didn't get to ask him how they work then? ; )

I think he was holdng out for the actual date to stun me with the wonderous intricacies of the things.

But this link might help...

http://www.misty.com/~don/plaspher.html

Nice one. Thank you.