Ionization peocesses and It's types

• At normal temperature and pressure, a gas acts as good insulting materials.
• When high voltage applied between the two electrode immersed in gaseous medium, the gas becomes a conductor an electrical breakdown occurs.

• Ionization by collisions are two types :

1. Elastic collisions : Elastic or simple mechanical collisions in which the energy exchange is always kinetic.
2. Inelastic collisions : Inelastic collisions, in which some of the  kinetic energy of the colliding particles is transferred into potential energy of the struck particle or vice versa.