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. The photo that's been shared on social media is a hoax, with Snopes explaining that the smaller pennies likely originated in a magician's trick kit. The post inspired some people to share false claims of their own.

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Apr 23, advice , education 3 comments. Image from Reddit. Microwaves work by shooting electrons at whatever it finds. The electrons create friction as it passes through the surfaces and generates heat. These electrons cannot pass through a metal surface.

What happens when you put a penny in the microwave

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.

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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. Instead of absorbing into the metal, the microwaves bounce off, which can cause electrical sparks. Fact Checks. We rate the claim that microwaving a penny for one minute will shrink the coin FALSE, based on our research. Putting a coin in a microwave won't shrink it, 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. You can subscribe to our print edition, ad-free app or electronic newspaper replica here. In extreme cases, these electrical sparks can end up burning small holes in the metal wall. These pictures do not show a microwaved penny, as pennies will not shrink if you put them in as microwave oven. Show Caption. McCowan, David. Videos of coins being microwaved posted online show sparks appearing almost immediately after starting the microwave.

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.

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:. By Dan Evon. 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. Hide Caption. Videos of coins being microwaved posted online show sparks appearing almost immediately after starting the microwave. Microwaves have a magnetron inside that converts the electric power it receives from the wall plug into very short radio waves, according to the U. But some social media users are contradicting that, claiming microwaving a coin will shrink it. Fact Check. Do not put metal in a microwave oven. 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. 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 photo that's been shared on social media is a hoax, with Snopes explaining that the smaller pennies likely originated in a magician's trick kit. Take the following tweet, for instance, which was posted in response to this "shrinking penny" message:.