Microwaving Grapes Makes Plasma

A bisected grape in the microwave makes plasma. But how does it work? A grape is the right size and refractive index to trap microwaves inside it. When you place two (or two halves) close together the fields interact with each other creating a maximum of electromagnetic energy where they touch. This creates heating, sparks, and plasma, which is further fed with energy directly by the microwaves.

Huge thanks to Hamza Khattak, Prof. Pablo Bianucci and Prof. Aaron Slepkov (unavailable for the call) for chatting to me and helping me understand the physics of this cool phenomenon.

Linking plasma formation in grapes to microwave resonances of aqueous dimers

Special thanks to Patreon supporters:
Donal Botkin, James M Nicholson, Michael Krugman, Nathan Hansen, Ron Neal, Stan Presolski, Terrance Shepherd

Thanks also to Steve Bosi, my original plasma collaborator.

Animations by Alan Chamberlain

[veritasium]

If you need help with some of the audio, turn on captions!

[sids]

At least 1 person from these 14M+ views would have tried this immediately just by looking at the title and broken their microwave, and that person was me. Thank you, Derek.

[whatdamath]

Somewhere out there is a curious teenager putting a whole bundle of grapes into a microwave because he wants to take this plasma thing further. What have you done Derek. What have you done.

[Hey-zxls]

Does this glitch still work or did it get patched yet?

[patel_ryan]

"Did you do it"
"Yes"
"What did it cost?"
"THE MICROWAVE"

[bulldozer]

“You don’t need to use a grape you can use a hydrogel waterbead”

To be fair grapes basically are hydrogel water beads that taste better

[eb]

Next episode: how putting a Kiwi in an ez-bake oven makes a neutron star.

[hasanalmonem]

- What did you do for ur PhD?
- I microwaved grapes.

[csevideos]

I am so happy I found this video! My daughter's Jr High "Science Fair" project was "microwaving grapes" (around 2009 or so). Specifically, "Which gives a better spark, red or green grapes?" Naturally, it was a huge hit with everyone except the microwave!

[neodavinci]

That's what I'm saying you guys: the sun is a giant grape.

[forhisneutralspecialhewiel]

Next: Ripping the space-time continuum by putting a banana on the freezer

[simongrant]

Just tried with a cherry. It started moving around the plate like a possessed hex-bug before exploding

[g-urts]

So I rewatched this video today. And realized (and yes, apparently I'm stupid, can't believe I didnt think of this before.) That microwave ovens and wifi run on almost the same wavelength. And the reason I'm occasionally having wifi issues is because I have a shitty microwave and when it was running, my router was sitting on top of it and it would drop my wifi signal significantly. Thank you. Once again, yes I'm stupid.

[robertgraham]

Veritasium dude: "you don't even need to use a grape. You can get the same effect using hydrogel water beads". Me: Whew....thank goodness! Here I was planning a month-long trip all over the country to find grapes.

[dothanhnhi]

Me looking at my microwave:
Microwave: Don’t even think about that

[jackconnor]

"Grapes can trap 2.4 Ghz"
Me: *_Puts grapes around a wifi router and then cuts them in half for a free wifi hotspot._*

[FlushedMoji]

and then he waddled away waddled waddled away and came back again the very next day, vaporizing the man at the stand with this plasma cannon full of grapes

[arctc_]

if you put a grape in the microwave, the microwave will actually be in the grape. cool

[Magestig]

2018: They did surgery on a grape
2019: *_They did plasma with grapes_*

[saintswore]

*Fun fact: If you try this at 3am a scary monster called "mom" is gonna show up then beat you up and told you to sleep fast*