ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Electric discharge in gases

Okay, imagine we have a light bulb, right? Inside the light bulb, there is a gas, and a wire that carries electricity into the light bulb. When we turn on the light bulb, the electricity travels down the wire and into the gas.

Now, when the electricity meets the gas, something really cool happens. It causes the gas to become charged, which means it becomes full of energy. This energy makes the gas give off light, like a glow stick!

This glow is called an electric discharge, and it happens when electricity meets a gas. Sometimes, if there's a lot of electricity or the gas is very excited, the electric discharge can spark and create lightning!

Scientists use electric discharges to learn about different gases and even create things like plasma (which is like supercharged gas). It's also used in everyday things like neon lights and TV screens. So, whenever you see a cool glowing light, remember that it's all thanks to an electric discharge in a gas!