What happens when you put a penny in the microwave

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But some social media users are contradicting that, claiming microwaving a coin will shrink it. It's a claim that is both wrong and dangerous. It's part of a long-running prank on various social media platforms, where posters try to trick others into attempting the potentially dangerous action. The image is a screenshot of a tweet, but the username and date have been cut off. The tweet featured an image of the purported shrunken coin next to a regular-sized penny. According to Snopes, the image originated in November on Twitter, but the original account has been suspended. A screengrab of the tweet posted on Reddit shows it had been retweeted more than 11, times within one week of posting.

What happens when you put a penny in the microwave

It's a lesson even the worst home cooks hopefully know: Putting metal in the microwave is a recipe for disaster. Thanks to a viral image circulating on the web, some people may be tempted to ignore this piece of common sense in the name of experimentation. The picture shows one normal-sized penny next to three smaller pennies with the caption: "This is what happens when you put a penny in a microwave for 2 minutes. Microwave ovens heat food by bouncing microwaves around a metal box. Certain molecules, like the molecules in your leftovers, absorb these waves via dielectric loss and convert them into heat. Not all substances are compatible with microwaves, however. Metal contains high concentrations of electrons, and when microwaves hit a metallic surface, these electrons become very active and block the wave's path. Instead of absorbing into the metal, the microwaves bounce off, which can cause electrical sparks. Sometimes these sparks are strong enough to burn a hole in the oven's walls and damage the electronic equipment. Even if you could somehow shrink coins in a microwave, the science explained above should be reason enough to resist the urge to try it at home. Anyone who tries the experiment against their better instincts will be disappointed.

Thank you for supporting our journalism. Twitter user riikerton posted a picture of a regular-sized penny and a picture of a much smaller penny and claimed that the coin had shrunk after it was put in a microwave for about two minutes:. A microwave is a magnetron "hooked up to a high voltage source.

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About this rating. Do not put metal in a microwave oven. It's a simple and important rule many people learn at a young age. But apparently it bears some repeating. In November , a potentially dangerous prank started to circulate on social media in the form of before-and-after photographs. Twitter user riikerton posted a picture of a regular-sized penny and a picture of a much smaller penny and claimed that the coin had shrunk after it was put in a microwave for about two minutes:. These pictures do not show a microwaved penny, as pennies will not shrink if you put them in as microwave oven. The pictures likely feature a miniature penny prop, such as the one seen in the following picture from a magician trick set:.

What happens when you put a penny in the microwave

Misbar concluded that you cannot shrink a penny by microwaving it for any amount of time. It will cause the penny to spark, but will not shrink it. Putting metal in the microwave could damage it. In extreme cases, microwaving metal objects could even start a fire. According to the United States Mint, pennies are made from zinc and copper. Seeing as both zinc and copper are metals, you should avoid heating anything made from these elements in your microwave.

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Facebook Twitter Email. Anyone who tries the experiment against their better instincts will be disappointed. That's what causes our leftovers to heat up and our popcorn to pop. About this rating. This button on your microwave will give you much better cooking results. By Dan Evon. One response to the image showed a melted microwave that had allegedly fallen victim to the penny trick. The post inspired some people to share false claims of their own. It's part of a long-running prank on various social media platforms, where posters try to trick others into attempting the potentially dangerous action. That power is transmitted through the magnetron at a high frequency, which then allows water, fats and sugars to absorb it and heat up. The image is a screenshot of a tweet, but the username and date have been cut off.

Apr 23, advice , education 3 comments.

While the advice to "not put metal in a microwave" is one that should probably be heeded, the Huffington Post notes that putting a spoon inside or a burrito wrapped in foil is not going to automatically blow up your appliance:. The reaction is milder if the metal has a smooth surface, like a spoon, Live Science reported in The picture is a couple of years old and reportedly shows the kitchen of a blogger who accidentally started a fire after leaving a pan filled with oil unattended on her stove. However, those claiming that putting a penny in a microwave will cause it to explode are also exaggerating. It's a claim that is both wrong and dangerous. A screengrab of the tweet posted on Reddit shows it had been retweeted more than 11, times within one week of posting. Fact Checks. The sparks can also end up burning out the magnetron in your microwave oven or, in modern microwaves, can generate a surge that ends up damaging sensitive microelectronics, possibly killing your microwave or making it unsafe to use. Videos of coins being microwaved posted online show sparks appearing almost immediately after starting the microwave. Fact Check. Not all substances are compatible with microwaves, however. But some social media users are contradicting that, claiming microwaving a coin will shrink it. Anyone who tries the experiment against their better instincts will be disappointed. When microwaves are reflected instead of being absorbed, it can potentially create a sufficient charge density that the electrical potential in the metal object exceeds the dielectric breakdown of air. The picture shows one normal-sized penny next to three smaller pennies with the caption: "This is what happens when you put a penny in a microwave for 2 minutes.