What would happen if I microwaved a metal fork for 2 minutes on high?
Cheers
David ************************************************** 01-11-04, 09:39 PM methos Most likely nothing, but a number of things could happen. Thin metals can heat quickly and melt or set objects they are in contact with on fire. Sharp points can concentrate microwabe energy at the points and send off sparks. Because of this, it's best to be safe and keep all metals out of the microwave except those that are specifically designed to be there (e.g. the racks that come with some microwaves).
01-11-04, 10:19 PM Sherasi I just saw the "Urban Legend Myth Busters" television program the other day and they addressed this very issue.
They demonstrated that it takes quite an effort to cause electrical sparks and shorts to occur. They say it is not advised to microwave metal objects, but most of the time that metal object has to touch both sides simultaneously to do anything.
01-12-04, 05:37 AM shelster Well, I have witnessed metal in a microwave (grandma's silver (?) plated china!!) and it definately set of sparks...big time!
01-12-04, 06:00 AM Fritzzs Any metal ( even silver or gold trim on plates) if left in the micro can cause it to be zapped..fried..dimished to a small pile of smotherning ashes.... Keep it up and you'll be buying a new one....
01-12-04, 06:38 AM shelster Oh, I know not to do that again. That happened about 6 years ago, and I wasn't aware that it was real metal in the plates. I thought it was just painted on or something (yes...a blonde moment). But after seeing those sparks fly, I won't even tempt it with any type of metal again.
01-12-04, 07:17 AM Jelp01 Didn't take much for me to set off sparks the one time I accidentally left a fork in the microwave. I thought for a minute that "The 1812 Overture" would have been appropriate. Smile
01-26-04, 08:45 AM NCcichlid I recently tried to nuke some liquid in a glass bowl, and the sparks flew. Seems the glass bowl was a bowl of leaded glass.
On the other hand, I ofter reheat foods in an aluminum container, and as long as it is not touching any of the sides of the microwave, everything warms nicely.
01-26-04, 06:57 PM DvdGStwrt Ah, so that one has been busted - basically.
Thanks and cheers
D
This message has been edited. Last edited by: DorianGreyed,
Posts: 3932 | Location: Leaving land, heading for the ocean | Registered: 06-03-02
Many microwaves have metal shelves. I leave a fork in food in microwave all the time. There has to be food in the bowl for the microwaves to hit so it won't spark. It is possible to thaw meat with half covered with aluminum foil, half uncovered. Only the uncovered part will thaw. Small things like metal rims around cups and plates seem to spark, though. I don't know why.
I found this information:http://rabi.phys.virginia.edu/HTW/microwave_ovens.html I left a spoon in my food and I put it in the microwave by accident. Is it dangerous to eat the food after it was put into the microwave with a metal object. Does it have any radiation? Could it cause cancer? - SK, Santa Monica, California
The spoon will have essentially no effect at all on the food. Metal left in the microwave oven during cooking will only cause trouble if (a) it is very thin or (b) it has sharp edges or points. The microwaves push electric charges back and forth in metal, so if the metal is too thin, it will heat up like the filament of a light bulb and may cause a fire. And if the metal has sharp edges or points, charges may accumulate on those sharp spots and then leap into space as a spark. But because your spoon was thick and had rounded edges, the charges that flowed through it during cooking didn't have any bad effects on the spoon: no heating and no sparks.
