Many metals respond energetically to household microwaves. That's why you don't leave the fork on the plate when you warm up the leftovers.

Get an old AOL CD-ROM and put it in the microwave with a cup of water. Set it for five seconds and watch the fireworks!

Small animals don't respond well to microwaves, either . . . at least, that's what I've heard! [img]/phpBB/images/smiles/icon_smile.gif[/img]

(Gremlins, anyone?)

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SeanF

"Ask to understand, but don't challenge unless you have the knowledge."--NEOWatcher

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Finally, a good use for all those free AOL CDs I keep getting!

"Finally, a good use for all those free AOL CDs I keep getting!"

I've been keeping them waiting for the erase and rerecord technology to be developed - but microwave fireworks sounds like more fun.

Actually, I've seen roaches walk around in a running microwave as if nothing much was happening. I've heard the reason is that they are almost pure protein and that their water content is so low that they can last for ages.

I'm sure it can't be pleasant though. They do have some H2O in them, so it must be one heck of a hotfoot (and thorax, abdomen. head, etc...)

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...And that, my liege, is how we know the Earth to be banana-shaped. --Sir Bedevere

Microwave is a type of electromagnetic wave with a wavelength range from 1 mm to 1 m. For domestic microwave ovens, the international standard wavelength is 122 mm, corresponding to a frequency of 2450 Hz. This wavelength is chosen to avoid interference with telecommunication.

Microwaves can penetrate insulators readily, but when they reach electromagnetically polar molecules such as water, they set these molecules into vibration at the same wave frequency. In the oscillations, friction between the molecules generates heat. Water is a small, very polar molecule and responds readily to the EM; other polar molecules will also respond, but to a lesser degree based on their extent of polarity.

Microwaves can also be reflected by metals without any heat dissipation, which will heat up the microwave generator and finally damage it.

(Cockroaches, of course, are immune; they can survive a nuclear war, so why not microwaves.

Which brings into question the AOL CD trick. After all, they are the equivalent of cockroaches in the CD world.)

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Never attribute to malice what can be adequately explained by ignorance or stupidity.
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