p/oahmjk

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:18 AM

So I thought that if you put anything made of metal into a microwave it would like shoot sparks and explode the microwave

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:19 AM

I don't know WHY I thought that?

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:19 AM

But it turns out not to be true

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:19 AM

And I found out by leaving a fork in a bowl of pasta while reheating it

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:19 AM

My heart just about stopped

Echo

@EchoDoctor

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:23 AM

Oof, that's a stressful moment.

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:23 AM

yeah it's not true. tho forks are definitely not 100% safe

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:23 AM

Just like "Where'd I put that fork?"

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:23 AM

"It's not..."

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:23 AM

"OH SHIT"

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:24 AM

it depends on the wavelength of the microwaves and the distance between peaks of the metal object

Echo

@EchoDoctor

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:24 AM

Yeah, I think the thing with metal in the microwave is that it gets really hot really quick and therefore can make stuff it's touching catch fire/give you a nasty burn if you touch it at all/maybe melt?

Echo

@EchoDoctor

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:24 AM

Either way, not great.

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:24 AM

I just reached in and grabbed it

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:24 AM

Which was not necessarily my smartest move

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:24 AM

But it was fine

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:25 AM

nah it's mostly abt whether or not the energy arcs off the metal

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:25 AM

I was panicking a little bit

Quinneapolis

@quinn2win

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:25 AM

I think that's just CDs

izzy.vrm

@alqemizzy

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:25 AM

or aluminum foil

Rama

@Nerdorama

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:26 AM

Generally if it's metal and has points, it's a problem

Rama

@Nerdorama

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:26 AM

You got very lucky if the fork didn't do anything

Gabiluzbad

@Overbringer

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:26 AM

forks are usually known for having points

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:28 AM

MIT School of Engineering | » Why can’t we put metal...

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:28 AM

yeah you definitely got lucky on the fork lmao, they're one of the biggest culprits

Quinneapolis

@quinn2win

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:29 AM

yeah what microwaves mainly heat up in the expected way is just water

Echo

@EchoDoctor

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:31 AM

Huh, neat.

E.S. Levi

@firebenderjess

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:33 AM

And not distilled water.

E.S. Levi

@firebenderjess

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:33 AM

Do not heat distilled water in the microwave.

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:36 AM

superheating?

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:37 AM

that can happen even to regular water though, esp if you're using a very smooth container

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:38 AM

just stick a toothpick in it before you put it in the microwave though, it's fine

RobotApocalypse

@ninjarobotclone

Tue, Mar 30, 2021 2:42 AM

(for those who don't know superheating is when water gets heated above its boiling point but doesn't boil bc the surface of the container is too smooth to form bubbles on. superheated water will explosively boil as soon as you put something in it. a toothpick provides a non-smooth surface for bubbles to form around and prevents superheating)