What happens when you put a penny in the microwave

About this rating. Do not put metal in a microwave oven.

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.

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.

Food and Safety Inspection Service. Certain molecules, like the molecules in your leftovers, absorb these waves via dielectric loss and convert them into heat.

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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.

What happens when you put a penny in the microwave

While it may seem obvious to most of us that metal does not belong in the microwave, a recent viral trend has convinced some people that microwaving pennies can cause them to shrink. While these posts may seem convincing, Reuters states that any claim that pennies shrink after being put in the microwave is "false and dangerous. Pennies are made of zinc coated in copper.

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In extreme cases, these electrical sparks can end up burning small holes in the metal wall. My Profile. False About this rating. The Food and Safety Service recommends stopping the microwave immediately if sparks occur because they can damage the oven and the metal object. 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. With metal, however, these waves are reflected, not absorbed, which can lead to sparking. Certain molecules, like the molecules in your leftovers, absorb these waves via dielectric loss and convert them into heat. Please just take our word on that, too. 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. If put in the microwave, the coins will start to spark, but they won't shrink. Instead of absorbing into the metal, the microwaves bounce off, which can cause electrical sparks. Hiskey, Daven.

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.

Facebook Twitter Email. Fact Check. 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 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. And it could cause harm to the microwave, potentially starting a fire. When this happens, it will result in arcing inside your microwave, from that metal to another electrical conductor with lower potential often the wall of the microwave. Putting a coin in a microwave won't shrink it, however. Certain molecules, like the molecules in your leftovers, absorb these waves via dielectric loss and convert them into heat. Fact check: Viral image misrepresents the electoral process. In reality, the years-old picture came from a blogger who set their microwave on fire accidentally while heating a pot of oil. Please just take our word on that, too. Anyone who tries the experiment against their better instincts will be disappointed.