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For people who want to try making plasma from grapes in a microwave, here are the steps that work for me every time (I’ve done it for friends and highschoolers
by eig 2y ago
For people who want to try making plasma from grapes in a microwave, here are the steps that work for me every time (I’ve done it for friends and highschoolers about 20 times)
1. Cut a large grape (1.5cm diameter) partially in half, leaving just a sliver of skin connecting the two halves.
2. Dry the cut sides by dabbing with a paper towel.
3. Place the grape halves cut side down on a Pyrex dish. Keep the turntable in the microwave (important, since microwaves have hotspots). Place the dish with the grape so that the grape orbits inside the microwave.
4. Microwave on high for 30s.
If you don’t hear a hum and see sparks within 10 seconds, you may have too large a grape. In that case you can try splitting the grape into two quarters, connected by a thin sliver of skin. Don’t forget to dry all the cut sides!
- eszed 2y agoI've never dried the surfaces, and I put the cut sides up. Also never fails. Gonna try cut-side down when my kid gets up (and if we have some grapes); that might look (even) cooler.
- eig 2y agoI suppose if the grape is in a puddle of electrolyte, it can short out the quarter wave antenna. So drying probably only matters if your grape is very juicy!
- gsf_emergency 2y agoPedantry, from a promateur, but also see the Veritasium tube linked elsewhere here: 0. No cutting needed whatsoever, but you do need a watch-glass. (Keeps the grapes in contact) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCrtk-pyP0I&t=4m37s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCrtk-pyP0I&t=4m37s