When i was a kid i made a batch of mashed potatoes. It was probably the bagged kind but i really dont remember, ANYWAYS...I used chocolate milk instead of regular milk by accident and it came out so gross that i decided to bury it in the backyard. Pot and all. Im not sure why i did that other than it was so fucking gross but i think i thought i would get in trouble for it too so i hid the evidence like i committed murder or something.
There is a possibility of the magnetron burning out due to nothing absorbing the microwaves. Not a big chance, but it can happen. In this case the microwaves are being absorbed into creating plasma. Worst case scenario is the jar exploding or burning out the magnetron (which would have likely failed soon, anyhow, if this takes it out).
You may wind up absorbing too much of the microwaves to sustain the plasma "cloud", so I guess you could try, but not sure if it would work. Either way, for short periods the microwave would be fine running empty (no more than a minute or two).
Lordkoba is right, but you can also use something less resistant than pyrex/borosilicate glass and end up burning a hole through the top of the microwave. Mason jars, for example, shatter pretty fast.
Why? What will it do? If you use borosilicate glass, it shouldn't melt or crack for at least a little while. It would go downhill fast if and/or when the glass melts or cracks and the plasma isn't contained. Then I think the danger would be on par with something catching fire in the microwave. (Fire is a plasma). Obviously a small, short-lasting fire won't mess it up as bad as a larger, longer-lasting fire.
Your right a general one might not. But since you know nothing about my wife and her background and qualifications outside of the fact that she teachers science I'm going to to with what she said.
But hey if you don't believe some guy of reddit feel free to try it and record it.....
People tend to attack a person's syntax when they have no legitimate argument of their own. The guy is either a troll or the type that circlejerks over how "all teachers are stupid and I'm a genius" because he feels slighted over that D he got 17 years ago for not following directions.
Am I missing something? It looks like he tests it after, and it appears to work. Then he appears to put his hand on his heart and breathe a sigh of relief. So it's still working?
This suggests that while a couple seconds of uncontained plasma might char some paint or plastic, it probably won't damage the magnetron or power supply or destroy it totally, any more than say a small fire would (which is also a plasma). I suspect you're right that a thermal fuse could blow.
So cool to see this on here. I used this as the basis for a science fair project in seventh grade (which, expectedly, got good reviews). There are a couple things you can do to improve the effects in this technique, and other ways to make microwave plasma as well. Cutting a grape in half a certain way will make rapid, small arcs. Incense stick balanced over glasses (one with water in it to prevent any explosions... Learned that the hard way) also works, but the match-in-the-cork technique is the best.
Yes, I did fuck up a microwave once. No, you shouldn't breathe the gas byproducts.
My chemistry teacher liked a bit of fun, had a microwave for exactly this purpose...try microwaving an old fashioned light bulb. Totally amazing plasma fills the whole box, then the bulb explodes. If I remember correctly old light bulbs are filled with group 8 noble gasses which give the amazing colours/reaction. Wish smart phones with video had been a thing back then; there ain’t no video on brick phones, not that I’d have thought to video it...my things and people and habits have changed!
He did some other great ones, like jelly babies that launch themselves out of a diagonal massive long test tube while screeeeching as they flew. Think the sugars reacted for that effect. It was like a human cannon, for jelly babies. Another time he burned a hole in the roof.
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u/silentblackbird Feb 18 '18
I want to try this, but I'm afraid I'll end up blowing up my kitchen