MIT Plasma

The trip to the plasma facility at MIT was a real eye opener for me. I learned that matter had a fourth state. A state of matter only found in the hottest parts of the universe. MIT has managed to construct a machine that can generate and sustain a few minutes of plasma. The engineering and science behind these projects consist of highly trained passionate scientists. Their research could make a big difference down the road when the human race is looking for a new source of energy. Unfortunately people today are still living in the we “should” use alternative efficient sources of energy rather then the we “have too”.

The tour was very easy to conceptualize and really interesting. I feel I have walked away with a wealth of information that puts my mind at ease about the alternative energy race. The most surprising thing I learned was that iron in the most stable element. It was surprising to find out it was but another one of life’s mysteries. The moment it was compared to the why the sun exists I knew it was just another interesting natural law like dark matter. Another interesting thing was the engineering behind the machine. Countless magnetic rod is wrapped in a donut shape. Atoms are shot and travel along these wires. The result of colliding and splitting atoms creates a mass amount of energy. This energy is heat. The heat can be transferred from heat to watt by a series of boiling water to spin turbines. In my personal opinion I feel this method of transforming the energy into useful energy seems primitive. The technology exists to heat elements to thousands of degrees and the way its converted to energy is by boiling water. Before plasma becomes a reliant source of energy first a bigger facility and more up to date energy transformation technology must exist.

This was a very interesting tour. It kept me entertained and stimulated through the whole thing. The information I learned I will rely on in my life. I hope plasma is our future.