Answer to Question #150686 in Molecular Physics | Thermodynamics for Danize

Question

What is plasma physics ? How is it use on a space shuttle ? How significant is it on planets such as Jupiter or venus ? What is it functions when going into orbital space ?

Answer 1

Plasma is an electrically conducting medium which is usually equal number of positively and negatively charged particles. It produced when atom of the gas gets ionized.

An electric field sheath develops around the vehicle and the shuttle creates wake in the plasma. The wake is depleted of plasma as the shuttle collides with displaces the gas and various instabilities occur as the wake region is refilled with plasma.

In the context of planets like Jupiter or Venus, it does not have the intrinsic magnetic field and thus the atmosphere is not protected against the incoming solar wind.

The universe is made of the space plasma, and a plasma is a gas that is too hot that some or all its constituent atoms are split up into electrons and ions which can move independently of each other.