Blog
22/12/2025
Northern Lights in the Laboratory
✨ Northern Lights in the Laboratory: The Physical Phenomenon Behind the Spectacle of Lights and Its Simulation with Cidepe
Have you ever been enchanted by the Northern Lights? This spectacle of lights, which dances in the polar skies, is one of the most impressive natural phenomena on our planet. But you Did you know that this natural spectacle is actually a powerful demonstration of Particle and Plasma Physics?
And the best part: we can recreate and study the basic principles of the Aurora Borealis right on the lab bench!
?What Causes the Aurora Borealis? The Physics of Charged Particles
The Aurora Borealis (and the Aurora Australis, at the South Pole) occurs due to...
Interaction of high-energy charged particles from the Sun (the solar wind) with the gases of the Earth's upper atmosphere. When these particles reach the atmospheric gases, which are in a very rarefied state, they transfer energy. This energy excites the atoms and molecules. Upon returning to their ground state, they release the absorbed energy in the form of light. The colors we see depend directly on the gas that is present. being affected:
- Green/Red: Mainly from Oxygen (the most common).
- Blue/Purple/Pink: Mainly from Nitrogen, which explains the pinkish tones observed in the experiment that we will demonstrate with a video published on our Instagram.
? Laboratory Simulation: The Cidepe Gas Discharge Tube
To simulate this physical process in a controlled environment, we used the Gas Discharge Tube (also known as Crookes Tube or Gas Discharge Tube) Gaislerr).
How the experiment works:
- Trapped Gas: Atmospheric gas is trapped inside a glass tube, a closed system equipped with a pair of electrodes.
- High Voltage: We apply a high potential difference (on the order of thousands of Volts) to these electrodes.
- Ionization and Plasma: This voltage accelerates the electrons between the terminals. On their way, they collide with the gas atoms, ionizing. The gas ceases to be an insulator and transforms into plasma – the fourth state of matter, which behaves like an electrical conductor. Light Emission: It is from this ionization point that the gas emits its characteristic glow. The color, as we have seen, depends on the gas. Since we are using atmospheric air in our tube, the high concentration of nitrogen and oxygen is... responsible for the pink/purple hue we witness.
?The Lorentz Force in Action
It is crucial to note that the particles that generate the aurora (the electrons accelerated in the tube and the solar particles in the atmosphere) are electrically charged.
In the experiment, we can prove this: when we bring a magnetic field close to the tube, the trajectory of the plasma beam is deflected (0:59-1:08). This is The principle of the Lorentz force in action. Similarly, the Earth's magnetic field acts as a shield, channeling solar particles directly to the poles (North and South), ensuring that the Aurora is primarily visible in these regions! Bring Spectacular Physics to Your Laboratory. The Cidepe Gas Discharge Tube is more than just equipment; it's an essential tool for Experimental Teaching. It allows students and educators to visualize in a practical way:
- The concept of Plasma.
- The principle of Gas Ionization.
- The effect of Magnetic Fields on charged particles.
Bring this and other Physics phenomena into your classroom!
? Explore our complete line of Physics Equipment and transform complex concepts into visual experiences. Contact us!
#ExperimentalPhysics #NorthernLights #Plasma #Cidepe #TeachingEquipment #Science #GasIonization
