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Fun Projects 50 Chapter

This document describes a plasma oscillator circuit that uses a flame as a conductive medium to control the frequency of an audio oscillator. The flame's flickering will modulate the generated sound, causing the circuit to run at frequencies between 1 and 500 Hz depending on the electrode and flame positions. A schematic diagram and printed circuit board layout are provided, showing how to construct the circuit using common electronic components around a plasma sensor created by two exposed wires in a flame. Potential applications of the circuit in science experiments involving plasma are also discussed.

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tihomiho
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46 views4 pages

Fun Projects 50 Chapter

This document describes a plasma oscillator circuit that uses a flame as a conductive medium to control the frequency of an audio oscillator. The flame's flickering will modulate the generated sound, causing the circuit to run at frequencies between 1 and 500 Hz depending on the electrode and flame positions. A schematic diagram and printed circuit board layout are provided, showing how to construct the circuit using common electronic components around a plasma sensor created by two exposed wires in a flame. Potential applications of the circuit in science experiments involving plasma are also discussed.

Uploaded by

tihomiho
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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ffifiiloHruhm

(E)
PLASMAOSCILLATOR
medium
A flameis a conductive thatcanbe usedin an uncommon feedback
loopto controlthefrequencyof an audiooscillator. canbe
Thisconfiguration
usedas a confirmation of
of theconductivity a flame.

Theaudiooscillator describedinthisprojectis controlled


bythe'Tourth"mat-
ter state,the "plaSma"or an ionizedgaS,and Canbe usedas part of an
interestingexperimentin physics.

Theflamecanbe produced by a simplematchor a candleandtheflickering


thegenerated
etfectwillmodulate sound.
on the
between1 and 500 Hz, depending
The circuitrunsin frequencies
andflamepositions.
electrodes
diagram
A schematic is shownin Figurel.The high
of thePlasmaOscillator
inputimpedanceof a 40938is fundamental in thisproject.A flametypically
in the rangeof tenthsof megohms.
hasa resistance
positioning
Theprintedcircuitboardforthecomponents is shownin Figure2.

Sensordetailsarealsogivenin thatfigure.Twowires,oneplacednearthe
other,withabout1 inchof baredlengthas shownin the figure,formthe
"plasmasensof.Theflameshouldinvolvethetwobaredwiresat the same
to operate.
currentto flowandtheoscillator
timeto allowthefeedback
An outputstageusinga piezoelectric
transducercan replacethe transistor
canbepowered
Witha lowercurrentdrainthisconfiguration
andloudspeaker.
fromfourAA cellsor a 9V battery.

-
3tf
tYrlrd 50 Plrsmr
0scmrbr

+5 to 12V

lC1 = 40938

SPKR
4l8n

Q1
8D135
OR
TIP31

X1
PI.ASMA

Figure I

PartsList- PlasmaOscillator
lOl - 40938CMOSIntegratedCircuit

SPKR- 4/8 ohm 4-inchloudspeaker

Q1 - 8D135orTlPSl PowerNPNsilicontransistor

R1 - 10,000ohm, 1l4W,5olo
resistor
R2 - 1,000ohm, 114W,5%resistor

X1 - Plasmasensor- see te)ft

C1 - 1,000to 4,700pF ceramicor metalfilmcapacitor

t05
fil h0 mOilmcmcl
fr nP?0lc0ts

SPKR X1

+61+12V

Figure2

ldeasto Explore
Togetbetterperformance
or to learnmoreaboutthecircuit:
o Explainwhythecircuitdoesn'toperateusinga neonorfluorescent
lampas a plasmamedium.
o Explain what"plasma"is.
o Youcanalterthiscircuitto useit as a flamealarm.

300
Frm60 lffiScffiffi

applications:
Science
a Otfcourse,thebasicideaofthisprojectisto useit inanexperiment
plasma.
involving Plasmais produced whenanionized gasloseselec-
trons.Thethe gasconvertsin a "soup"of freeelectronsandionized
atoms.
o Usedifferentkindsof flames,suchasthoseproduced bymatches,
gas,paper,etc.,andcompare theirconductivity
by'thetonepitch.

ilt

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