The other day I put a spoon in the microwave and put it to maximum power to see what happened. And what hapened was nice: Small and feeble sparks glowing between the spoon and the oven base. Could someone explain why this happened?
There was a myth time ago that if you put a metallic material inside a microwave oven, it could explode. Is that true?
All the microwave products clearly state that you should not put metallic items inside (well that is the case here in UK), not sure why would you want to go against it.
They specifically warn you not to place metal objects of any kind in the microwave as the microwave energy will cause that exact phenomena as you observed. What you are witnessing is an example of the photoelectric effect.
When a metallic surface is exposed to electromagnetic radiation above a certain threshold frequency, the light is absorbed and electrons are emitted. The microwaves carry enough energy to go pass this threshold.
There's a nice Q&A on microwaves on the Virginia Uni site:
http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/microwave_ovens.html | sheedatali wrote: |
| All the microwave products clearly state that you should not put metallic items inside (well that is the case here in UK), not sure why would you want to go against it. |
Although the reason I witnessed the same result is due simply to forgetting to remove a spoon from a cup of soup, I can certainly understand why one would want to go against it: because it says "do not place metallic objects inside the microwave." 
My next experiment involves tearing off the small tag on matrasses saying "Do not remove under penalty of law". | MaxStirner wrote: |
| My next experiment involves tearing off the small tag on matrasses saying "Do not remove under penalty of law". |
I never really understood what they were there for 
| MaxStirner wrote: |
| My next experiment involves tearing off the small tag on matrasses saying "Do not remove under penalty of law". |
Yea I agree curiosity will make you do things you never imagined of. I would not however tear off my pillows though I put aluminum foil in the microwave once. It sparked and caught on fire. Don't ask how I was so stupid that I forgot the number 1 rule of microwave usage...
Anyways, I'm more enlightened now.
Metal makes pretty sparks. Just please, please, please... whatever you do... don't use your microwave to dry your poodle.
For extra fun try the following:
- Christmas Tree Lights
- A gherkin, aubergine or marrow
- An Egg
You'll probably want to do it in that order too. Post photos 
Edit: Be careful. Also, don't expect these items to work or be edible afterward (although I suppose they might be depending on your culinary tastes). One better, try it with cd's. The light show is awsome, the finished cd looks like baked earth with all the cracks. Good way to destroy data in a hurry Finally, a sensible thread with practical, hands-on suggestions. My last project was too theoretical: considering what a chair would look like if we had our knees in the back.
I had a girlfriend many years ago who wanted to warm up her chips. Many years ago pototo chips can in foil bags. She opened the bag and placed it in the microwave, turned it one and walked away. I was wating from other side of the room. What a light show ! sparks everywhere and yes the chips did warm up too.
PS Yes, she was dumped a short while later haha lol @ the g/f story.
Yeah metal in a microwave looks pretty cool, if you can find a mcrowave big enough, put a computer in there Ingredients
1 x Microwave
1 x glass
1 x lightbulb
Some water
Place Lightbulb in glass
Fill glass with water ensuring the metal contact of the lightbulb is totally below the water
place in microwave and switch on
....pretty =)
| Quote: |
Ingredients
1 x Microwave
1 x glass
1 x lightbulb
Some water
Place Lightbulb in glass
Fill glass with water ensuring the metal contact of the lightbulb is totally below the water
place in microwave and switch on
....pretty =) |
I am very eager to try this!!! but I am afraid something bad can happen. Could you tell me what to expect from this magnificent experiment??? Please tell if it is an explosion or what should I expect.
It sounds very very nice. I supose it wont be simply a light bulb resting on boiling water.....Boy you guys are just bound and determined to blow your microwave ovens up, aren't you? ^_^;
ptolomeo, if you run it for a very short length of time - just a couple of seconds - it shouldn't explode. Just make sure that the metal bits are below water, and give it a couple of minutes between runs.
This isn't good for your microwave, of course, but it should survive. The bulb should still be usable too. Incidentally, you can probably do this with a burned out bulb, too.
And no, if you do this you're going to see something a little more interesting than just a light bulb floating on boiling water - in fact for god's sake don't do it long enough to boil the water. ^_^; (Technically you don't need the water - the water is just a heat sink, without it the bulb would heat up too quickly and almost surely explode after a few seconds.) Be very, very careful - there's a chance of burning your hand on the metal, or the bulb exploding a second or two after you take it out.
But if you're really smart, you won't bother to try this experiment at home at all. This is the Internet. i'll bet everything i own that some idiot has done it and put pictures or even a video online. ^_^;
I have always wanted to put something in the microwave to see what happens, but I know what happens and I don't want to destroy it since first of all it's not mine, and I will be in so much problem, not to mention I will have to buy a new one and I would rather spend my money on something I might want.
I put a plastic baggy thingy in microwave.. think it had a bunch of meat or something in it. Went to defrost it. Forgot to take off twist tie -.- put a fair sized hole in the roof of my microwave after the window in the door was like...(well.. imagine an explosion, look at it through a window, with the explosion pressing up against the window. All you see is red and yellow and such) lots of zappy noises too. Big pop noise and hole was in roof, bag was half melted.. and twist tie was.. totaled.. fused with the bag. We ended up getting a new microwave cause a Microwave can't nuke anything with a hole in it's roof -.-
| Indi wrote: |
| But if you're really smart, you won't bother to try this experiment at home at all. This is the Internet. i'll bet everything i own that some idiot has done it and put pictures or even a video online. ^_^; |
You'd win that bet
http://margo.student.utwente.nl/el/microwave/ | imera wrote: |
| I have always wanted to put something in the microwave to see what happens, but I know what happens and I don't want to destroy it since first of all it's not mine, and I will be in so much problem, not to mention I will have to buy a new one and I would rather spend my money on something I might want. |
There are many things you can put in the microwave and watch them react in various fun ways without having to worry about the danger of explosion. i recommend peep jousting.
| Quote: |
| I put a plastic baggy thingy in microwave.. think it had a bunch of meat or something in it. Went to defrost it. Forgot to take off twist tie -.- put a fair sized hole in the roof of my microwave after the window in the door was like...(well.. imagine an explosion, look at it through a window, with the explosion pressing up against the window. All you see is red and yellow and such) lots of zappy noises too. Big pop noise and hole was in roof, bag was half melted.. and twist tie was.. totaled.. fused with the bag. We ended up getting a new microwave cause a Microwave can't nuke anything with a hole in it's roof -.- |
Well, assuming there's no damage to the magnetron or the circuitry - which would usually be at the side with the controls and the back - it should still work. i wouldn't be in the same room when you're cooking something though. The point of the microwave's enclosure is to keep microwaves inside. With a hole like that....
| Bikerman wrote: |
| Indi wrote: | | But if you're really smart, you won't bother to try this experiment at home at all. This is the Internet. i'll bet everything i own that some idiot has done it and put pictures or even a video online. ^_^; |
You'd win that bet
http://margo.student.utwente.nl/el/microwave/ |
!!!
i'm... truly in awe. ^_^;
That's just... he put tin foil in his... and a burning toothpick....
Wow. ^_^; That site hasn't been updated since 2002... the guy who made it probably blew his ass up.OH MY GOSH!! SO COOL!! okay okay it is now a must try for me! lol curiosity kills the cat. but isn't life more interesting with curiosity? ^^
Here it explains clearly how it works: click | ptolomeo wrote: |
| There was a myth time ago that if you put a metallic material inside a microwave oven, it could explode. Is that true? |
And you still tried it =) - Kudos, did you switch microwave on and leg into into different room?One time I did that on accident with one of those gold-rimmed coffee cups. It was pretty surprising and cool at the same time. I wouldn't advise drinking out of it until it cools down though...ouch!
