Naked Science Forum

General Science => General Science => Topic started by: paul.fr on 09/04/2007 10:58:22

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: paul.fr on 09/04/2007 10:58:22

i heard the other day, that if an ant was in your microwave and you turned it on it would not get cooked! Is this true? If it is how does the ant manage to avoid the hot spots?

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: Karen W. on 09/04/2007 12:43:24

Does he crawl quickly into one if the vents behind the lights?? Then become protected by the cover that is protecting the light bulb?

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: another_someone on 09/04/2007 16:52:05

I am rather dubious about the notion that ants will not get cooked in the microwave (although it does rather depend on what else is in the microwave that is possibly preferentially absorbing the microwaves).

Nothing to do with ants, but here are grapes being cooked in a microwave:

YouTube - Grape Microwave Plasma

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: paul.fr on 09/04/2007 17:45:10

Quote from: another_someone on 09/04/2007 16:52:05

I am rather dubious about the notion that ants will not get cooked in the microwave (although it does rather depend on what else is in the microwave that is possibly preferentially absorbing the microwaves).

well i could not understand why they would not get cooked either, i have also heard that cockroaches do not get cooked!

Quote from: another_someone on 09/04/2007 16:52:05

Nothing to do with ants, but here are grapes being cooked in a microwave:

YouTube - Grape Microwave Plasma

i posted that as an experiment, last week i think. thanks for the link, George

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: another_someone on 09/04/2007 23:40:39

My suspicion is that the idea that insects cannot be heated by microwaves is because the insects are smaller than the wavelength of the microwave radiation, and so cannot absorb the electrical energy of the microwave.

If it was acting just as a radio antenae, then that would be correct; but as I understand it, such a limitation would not apply to the dielectric heating that is caused by the interaction of the microwaves with water molecules.

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: JimBob on 10/04/2007 01:34:59

I have roaches - this is the arid subtropical zone I live in - and the roaches that are fool enough to get into the microwave under the revolving "plate" get zapped just as easily as food. This includes the smallest baby ones. I would imagine ants would do the same.

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: neilep on 12/04/2007 00:15:51

What about putting an Aunt in a microwave ?..I have one I'd dearly like to show the inside of my oven !!

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: Karen W. on 12/04/2007 02:28:06

LOL..LOL HEE HEE..

Title: ants in a microwave
Post by: Seany on 12/04/2007 10:56:10

Quote from: JimBob on 10/04/2007 01:34:59

I have roaches - this is the arid subtropical zone I live in - and the roaches that are fool enough to get into the microwave under the revolving "plate" get zapped just as easily as food. This includes the smallest baby ones. I would imagine ants would do the same.

Ugh.. that's sick.. Do you put your food as well? and the roaches guts all spit on your food?