Plasma filiments conceptual fractal illustration. Plasmas are a collection of charged particles, both positive and negative that behave in a collective way because of attractive and repelling electric forces. A significant number of highly charged particles together make plasma electrically conductive so that it responds strongly to electromagnetic fields. The universe is made of up of space plasma. Plasma is the word given to the fourth state of matter (solid, liquid, gas, plasma). A plasma is a gas that is so hot that some or all its constituent atoms are split up into electrons and ions, which can move independently of each other. Because they are made up of electrically charged particles, plasmas can be strongly influenced by electrostatic and electromagnetic fields and forces, which can lead to very complex and interesting behaviour.