The least common state of matter on Earth is plasma. While we are most familiar with solids, liquids, and gases in our daily lives, plasma makes up a significant portion of the universe’s matter.
Plasma is created when gas is heated to extremely high temperatures, resulting in the ionization of gas atoms. This means the atoms lose some of their electrons, creating a mixture of free electrons and ions. Because of this, plasma can conduct electricity and is influenced by magnetic fields.
On Earth, plasma is found in phenomena like lightning and neon signs, but in terms of abundance, it’s far less common than solids, liquids, and gases, which make up most of the materials we encounter regularly. In the vastness of space, however, plasma is the most common state of matter, found in stars, including our sun, where fusion occurs, emitting light and heat.