I make habanero salsa from time-to-time. The grocery store only sells them in a big bag which is way too much for a single batch of salsa. So I started keeping them in the freezer. The wife wanted a single habanero for something she was making so I pulled one out of the freezer and put it in the microwave for a few seconds to defrost it. Just a couple seconds in there and I started to hear the ominous "wwwuuuuahhhh" of HV arc; I turned around to see the biggest arc and then explosion. I opened the microwave expecting to find some metal in there; nothing. The pepper itself arced (its stem specifically), as if it was metal. I googled the phenomenon on my phone and found this video, which is just what I saw:
(skip to 0:50)
I have found multiple explanations online; high iron content, microwave resonating in certain-sized food, and more.
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/why-do-certain-vegetables-arc-in-the-microwave.299877/
(skip to 0:50)
I have found multiple explanations online; high iron content, microwave resonating in certain-sized food, and more.
https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/why-do-certain-vegetables-arc-in-the-microwave.299877/