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RE: Solid, Liquid, Gas....
By Chemical Chris on 4/10/2008 12:36:23 PM , Rating: 2
Plasma is not a state of matter, it is an ionized gas. We use it in the lab in ICP-(AES, MS, etc), or, inductively-coupled-plasma - (atomic emission spectrum, mass spec, etc), the plasma is ionized argon, with the flame temp from 6000-10000 degrees is not a state of matter tho.
The fourth 'common' one, other than solid, liquid, gas, is known as a superfluid, when the temperature and pressure reach a certain 'supercritical point', beyond which the compound forms a superfluid, with all kinds of cool properties. My 1st year chem prof does the majority of research on them, mainly using them as solvents to treat environmental contamination, drug delivery, among others (sometimes they work, sometimes they dont, but superfluid CO2 is really nifty, gotta say!)
Hope that clears some things up :)

RE: Solid, Liquid, Gas....
By werepossum on 4/10/2008 6:34:57 PM , Rating: 2
I'm certainly not a physicist, but I'd definitely say plasma is a state of matter. The differences between a plasma and the other three common states of matter are arguably more striking and significant than the differences between the three of them. Further, I believe the change in atomic structure and forces from gas to plasma is much more dramatic than the change in atomic structure and forces from liquid to gas.

I agree that superinsulators are not properly a new state of matter, but considering this was only used as an attention-grabbing headline - and the disagreement just on this board about what does constitute a proper state of matter - I think it's within reasonable bounds of pop science journalism. (Which is to say the headline grabbed my attention and the story did not confuse me by actually attempting to classify superinsulators as a new state of matter.)


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