Plasma


[plaz-muh] /ˈplæz mə/

noun
1.
Anatomy, Physiology. the liquid part of blood or lymph, as distinguished from the suspended elements.
2.
Cell Biology. .
3.
.
4.
a green, faintly translucent chalcedony.
5.
Physics. a highly ionized gas containing an approximately equal number of positive ions and electrons.
/ˈplæzmə/
noun
1.
the clear yellowish fluid portion of blood or lymph in which the red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are suspended
2.
short for blood plasma
3.
a former name for protoplasm, cytoplasm
4.
(physics)

5.
a green slightly translucent variety of chalcedony, used as a gemstone
6.
a less common term for whey
n.

1712, “form, shape” (earlier plasm), from Late Latin plasma, from Greek plasma “something molded or created,” hence “image, figure; counterfeit, forgery; formed style, affectation,” from plassein “to mold,” originally “to spread thin,” from PIE *plath-yein, from root *pele- (2) “flat, to spread” (see plane (n.1)). Sense of “liquid part of blood” is from 1845; that of “ionized gas” is 1928.

plasma plas·ma (plāz’mə) or plasm (plāz’əm)
n.

plas·mat’ic (plāz-māt’ĭk) or plas’mic (-mĭk) adj.
plasma
(plāz’mə)

plasma [(plaz-muh)]

A state of matter in which some or all of the electrons have been torn from their parent atoms. The negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions move independently.

Note: Plasmas are usually associated with very high temperatures — most of the sun is a plasma, for example.

plasma [(plaz-muh)]

The liquid part of blood or lymph. Blood plasma is mainly water; it also contains gases, nutrients, and hormones. The red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets are all suspended in the plasma of the blood.

PLAnner-like System Modelled on Actors. Carl Hewitt, 1975. The first actor language. Originally called Planner-73, and implemented in MacLisp. Lisp-like syntax, but with several kinds of parentheses and brackets.
[“A PLASMA Primer”, B. Smith et al, AI Lab Working Paper 92, MIT Oct 1975].
[“Viewing Control Structures as Patterns of Passing Messages”, C. Hewitt, AI Lab Memo 410, MIT 1976].

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