Which property allows plasma to conduct electricity?

Plasma is often referred to as the fourth state of matter, consisting of highly energized particles, including free electrons and ions. The property that allows plasma to conduct electricity is the presence of free-moving electrons. In a plasma, the energy input is high enough to strip electrons away from atoms, creating a mix of charged particles (both positive ions and negative electrons).

These free electrons can move easily through the plasma, allowing it to conduct electric current. This is in stark contrast to other states of matter, such as solids, liquids, and gases, where the presence of bound electrons in atoms greatly limits their ability to conduct electricity. The free-moving electrons in plasma facilitate the flow of electric charge, making it a good conductor of electricity.

This intrinsic property of plasma is observed in various natural phenomena, such as lightning and the auroras, as well as in man-made technologies like fluorescent lights and plasma TVs.