How to Create Plasma Balls in a Microwave

This isn't your father's plasma ball. Plasma, the fourth distinct state of matter outside of solid, liquid and gas, is an ionized gas most often seen as lightning bolts in a dark sky. But you don't need to wait for a storm to get a natural fireworks show: you can generate your own plasma with nothing but a piece of fruit and a common kitchen appliance. Warning: this appliance may be sacrificed in the name of science.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Microwave
• Grape
• Fire extinguisher

1. Take one delicious, seedless grape, and slice it in half.

2. Cut the grape almost the whole way through, and leave a thin piece of skin, a few millimeters thick, that connects the two halves. Alternatively, you can cut it straight through, and position the two separate halves such that the two poles of the grape are now touching.

3. Place your grape (face-up, if cut lengthwise) in the microwave, ideally one with 1000 watts of power or more. With luck, you will even hit a hot spot, where the most power is focused.

4. Place a glass or clear plastic container over the grape, so as to contain the massive energy.

5. Set your microwave for about ten seconds, and hit Enter. The thin, connecting piece of grape skin will soon superheat and burst into flame, ionizing the surrounding air into plasma.

6. When complete, put your hand under the glass, and take it outside to release the invisible vapor which has been trapped inside. This vapor can be slightly toxic, and could become dangerous if you ionize multiple grapes and allow the gas to accumulate.

Tips & Warnings

• This is extraordinarily energetic plasma, so be careful. Without the glass to contain it, rogue plasma can actually float straight up and melt the ceiling of your microwave. You will also be tempted to lean in and ogle the fireball: don't. The glass could potentially shatter unexpectedly.
• Microwaves are not supposed to be operated without something inside, even if only a glass of water - this is why you shouldn't microwave one grape for more than ten or fifteen seconds. And keep your plasma-generating to a minimum, so as to not burn our your microwave tube.

[mommyhen42]

on 2/11/2009 Wow wat a cool experiment but I am loathe to loose my micro