Plasma is a state of matter similar to gas in which some particles are ionized. Plasma TVs use small cells filled with ionized gas that produce light when electricity is applied. When UV light from the ionized gas hits phosphors, visible colors are produced to display an image. Plasma TVs offer advantages like exceptional color, high resolution, and widescreen ratios but also have disadvantages such as shorter lifespan, fragility, higher price, and potential image burn-in.