Final answer:
Plasmas differ from gases in that they can conduct electric current due to their ionized particles, and they exist in high-energy environments making them difficult to contain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unlike a gas, a plasma conducts electric current due to the presence of a large number of electrically charged particles. While both gases and plasmas do not have a definite shape or a definite volume and can flow, the key difference lies in their electrical conductivity.
Gases are composed of neutral atoms and are not conductive, whereas plasmas contain ionized particles which allow them to conduct electricity efficiently. Another distinction is that plasmas are found in high-energy environments like the interiors of stars and can be difficult to contain due to this energy.
A plasma, unlike a gas, has the following characteristics:
It conducts electric current: Plasma consists of charged particles, such as electrons and ions, which are free to move and carry electric charge. This property allows plasma to conduct electricity.
It has no definite shape: Similar to a gas, plasma takes the shape of its container.
It has no definite volume: Plasma, like a gas, does not have a fixed volume and expands to fill the space it is contained in.
Example: Lightning is a natural occurrence of plasma, where electric current flows through the charged particles in the air.