Instructional: How to Make Plasma in a Microwave

Twitter: @alexjonclement

Skip to ≈ 3:50 to see the plasma in action. Preceding is the process for preparing the experiment. Info:

A step-by-step, information-filled explanation of the process used to create terrestrial plasma in a microwave.

Experiment info:

A plasma is an ionized gas. What does that mean? It means that the gas has, by some means, reached its first ionization energy (in this case through 2.4 GHz microwaves). What does that mean? It means that one electron has been removed from the outer energy shell, thus causing the gas to be dissociated (the plasma you see). When the microwaves stop hitting the gas, the compounds return (mostly) to their original configuration.

Materials DIsclaimer: If you do this too much, you'll destroy the magnetron in your microwave.

Personal Disclaimer: I'm not responsible for you. That said, you should be CAREFUL when you try this. Anyone with a BRAIN can pull it off SAFELY. Follow the instructions! If you're stupid, don't try to replicate this experiment. In fact, if you're just dumb, go away. Now. Please. No, seriously. Why are you still reading this? GO!

Category:

Education

Tags:

• microwave
• plasma
• ifirebird
• Firebird
• Microwave
• Plasma
• instructional
• instructable
• heat
• hot
• glass
• jar
• match
• plastic
• ring
• grape
• Grape
• wood
• candle
• polo
• glasses
• iFirebird
• triangle
• state
• matter
• Bose
• Einstein
• condensate
• BoseEinstein
• fire
• petal
• ms
• firebird

[SourPussProductions2]

HOW COME THIS NEVER HAPPENED IN "IS IT A GOOD IDEA TO MICROWAVE THIS"!!! that would have been sooooooo awesome !!

[iFirebird]

@SourPussProductions2 Recommend this vid for it! If you can't, then shout it out to your friends, family, and everyone you know. I love to watch my view count go up! FOR SCIENCE!

[JERKMONKEYYEH]

so for ex an ice cube goes to a liquid if heated then the liquid boils into a gas the the gas is heated up to a plasma but the gas has to be at an extremley high temperature for the plasma to form right ?

[iFirebird]

@JERKMONKEYYEH I'll be honest with you: I don't know. However, I'm pretty certain that's not how it works. A plasma forms out of the ionization of particular gases; it doesn't just happen with any ol' substance. I think. I'm sure that if I'm wrong someone will correct me.

[jaycsin]

i think he means a ceramic jar, acrylic is plastic ...plasma + Plastic= new microwave

Use a tempered glass container like a Pyrex measuring cup...

[iFirebird]

@jaycsin Actually, I did mean to say acrylic. If the plasma stays in your microwave long enough, it will destroy the magnetron (this also happens if the experiment is repeated often).  Thus, an acrylic jar melting into a pile of "mush" is far preferable to spending money on a new microwave. That's my take, anyway.

However, if you have money to blow (or you need mo' cool factor), Pyrex would be far superior (especially true if this was an exhibit at a science fair).

[darkmage2436]

@ifirebird question if i buy a microwave just for this wot will happen if i burn out my microwaves mangnatrum will it just stop or how would it react? cuz i dont like magnetic pulses fired at me if i do this 2 much lol

[wargon559]

4:12 is better for insatant action

[TechUnadept]

its like Doom all over again =D/sarcasm

pretty cool tho, in all seriousness.

[UsedTeaBag96]

and that was the day we learnd about cancer!

[Plasmaflix]

and IM not doing that xD

[VBEducation1]

@xSRGDarknessx fire isnt plasma; plasma is superheated gas that's electrons have been ripped apart from their atoms

[xSRGDarknessx]

@TheNiggerXavi We do, in a sense. We half created flamethrowers. Fire is a plasma. With that said, it is extremely difficult to accelerate plasma at all. If we do ever get capable, and usefull plasma weapons, then it probably won't be for another 50-100 years.