I recently learned that placing metal in the microwave creates sparks and obvious problems. I know metal creates static electricity (?) but can anyone tell me the like in depth reason metal in my microwave sparks and stuff?
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I recently learned that placing metal in the microwave creates sparks and obvious problems. I know metal creates static electricity (?) but can anyone tell me the like in depth reason metal in my microwave sparks and stuff?
It's basically electromagnetic energy (the microwave field) attempting to collect electrons from the atoms of the metal. This will typically occur at the edges of the metal where larger amounts of electrons gather. When the microwave field becomes intense enough at gathering points, the electrons pretty much explode into the air creating the arcs that you see.
side note: Pickles tend to glow when they are microwaved :D
>>side note: Pickles tend to glow when they are microwaved
Really? Im totally in a "put random things in the microwave and see what happens" mood lol. I put a grape in there and tried to end up with a raisen, it really stinks and didnt work lol.
Thanks for the explanation.
I thought microwaves melted if you put metal in them...
They might, this was only 3 seconds lol.Quote:
Originally posted by Shogun
I thought microwaves melted if you put metal in them...
lol ,why don't you try it out? ;)Quote:
Originally posted by RoD
They might, this was only 3 seconds lol.
You can start a fire with a grape and a microwave. not like a huge fire, but like a match stick fire.
Take a grape - and slice it long ways down the middle - LEAVING the last bit of SKIN unsevered. After just a few seconds - the grape will start a flame.
Take a cd - place it in the microwave for 7 seconds (complety safe for microwave - not for cd) awsome awsome color show.
Take an ice cube - maybe dry ice i think it is - and microwave it - it should EXPLODE. Caution - dangerous.
Placing inapprpriate items, (read the manufacturers guidelines), into a microwave can cause damage to the device, and in extreme circumstances, anything near the device.
Put a cup of tea in for ten minutes. Take it out and drop a cold t spoon in it. Lol.
NB Dont do this is you are sane :)
Take a brand new coffee mug with no scratches on the inside, fill with water, nuke for a couple mins, add coffee (or tea), and stand back. Works better if you don't take it out of the microwave before adding the coffee.
>>Take a cd - place it in the microwave for 7 seconds (complety safe for microwave - not for cd) awsome awsome color show.
That scared the $$$$ out of me.
hmmm I gotta try this..to bad I don't got any empty CDs :(
Hehe I was trying to melt some butter for popcorn in the microwave, and I had just opened it (stick butter). It kept popping so I thought it was getting to hot or something until I noticed the sparks and realized some of the foil wrapper was still on it :D
put a clear glass in (full of water) until the water starts boiling, then take it out, pour the water down the drain, and put the glass in cold water... ;)
I gotta try the CD thing... i'm known to be bad at the whole microwave thing, after setting food on fire and blowing a glass dish apart all at the same time...
The CDR thing was cool as hell, only took 3 seconds to start on mine.
That CD trick was awesome! It took mine around 4-5 seconds. That was so cool.
this is one of the better posts ive seen in awhile :D
i hope some one makes a video, my nuker is too new for me too be that brave.
Got mine in June for graduating. Cooks turkeys and all.Quote:
Originally posted by mart_man00
this is one of the better posts ive seen in awhile :D
i hope some one makes a video, my nuker is too new for me too be that brave.
Let the CDS spark!
marshmallows in the microwave are moderately amusing. I've never done more than one... a nice pyramid of them could be kinda interesting, and not bad to clean up.
Also, here's a fun one. Take an old power cord (like off a broken electrical appliance), cut it off, pull the two wires apart and strip a few inches of them. Wrap the bare ends of the wire around nails (1 nail per end...). So now you'll have a power cord with a plug on one end and two nails on the other end. Don't let the two nails touch, and definitely don't touch them, but stick the nails in the two ends of a pickle (perpendicular to the pickle) (Don't worry about blowing a circuit or anything. The resistance in a pickle is >10,000 ohms) Plug the pickle in (do this outside, please) Don't touch it. But the pickle will glow orange, and hum... and then smoke. Oh, and it will get quite hot. But it's cool.
im totally trying the pickle thing
A word of warning here ...
Heating water (or any liquid) in the microwave, especially to a boiling point is quite possibly one of the most dangerous things you can do with an appliance. Chances are good that you will be severely injured if the liquid becomes super heated, and you break the surface tension near your body (read it will melt your face).
Some theory of the cd sparks:
http://www.everist.org/special/mw_oven/index.htm#tech
Some microwave experiments (most not as safe as the cd one):
http://microwave.tehbox.com/
DO NOT Microwave an egg. hehehehehe.
This thread is so the coolest thing ever. It should be sticky so that all may experiment in our insane wisdom.
Do I just put the cd face down in the microwave? Will it be hot when I take it out?
I wish i could do this stuff... my parents would kill me if i tried anything... =/
I'm going to kill all of you wasting perfectly good cds. I'm out of cds when I need them and you get to waste them away :(
AOL gives them out for free. Once you have enough coasters in your house, there's no other use for an AOL CD. They're a bit dangerous for a frisbee.Quote:
Originally posted by ZakkWylde969
I'm going to kill all of you wasting perfectly good cds. I'm out of cds when I need them and you get to waste them away :(
Not nearly as dangerous as a disk plater from a MTM harddrive. Not that I would know or anything :pQuote:
They're a bit dangerous for a frisbee.
Ah AOL cd's. I thought you meant regular CD-RW cds. AOL cd's make a very good coasters and also those things that you stick on furniture. My mom uses cds for those.
I am using regular CDR's, bad burns.