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Thread: Boiling milk conundrum

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    A shadowy flight. MSIC's Avatar
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    Boiling milk conundrum

    I've just been wondering...

    If you wake 2 mugs of the same size and shape, and fill 1 full of milk (ie not overflowing, but practically full), and one about 1/3 full of milk, and put both in the microwave, will they both boil at the same time?
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    i wouldnt have thought so, there being a large capacity in one would mean that it would take long to get to the same temperatue (in this case milks boiling point) and so no they would boild in the same amount of time.

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    My money's on them both boiling at approx the same time.
    The large the volume of the body to be warmed, the more microwave energy it will absorb.
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    Cable Guy Jonny M's Avatar
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    Volume is a power of 3 though, and area isn't. So any advantage you gain from a larger surface area is more than compensated for by the massive increase in volume.

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    best way to find out is to actually do the testing..

    all you need is 2 cups hopefully the same, a thermometer and a carton of milk. whack it in the microwave and test it every 15 seconds or so.

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    Senior Member JPreston's Avatar
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    The one that is 1/3 full will boil quicker, because it has a higher ratio of surface area to milk. IIRC microwave ovens work by the radiation heating just the outside centimetres of whatever is in them, which is why you can't roast a big ham in them.

    Now, put the microwave oven on a treadmill, as wide and as long as......

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    Why do we yawn?

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    Hexus.Jet TeePee's Avatar
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    They would both boil at approximately the same time, assuming they were on a turntable.

    Surface area to volume is irrelevant when talking about microwaves, since the waves aren't 'seeing' water, they see and excite molecules. Since the molecules are tiny compared with the space between them, most of the microwaves will always go all the way through the milk. Some will simply 'impact' molecules on the way through. Because of this, theoretically, the things you put in the microwave don't heat from the outside in, but evenly throughout.

    What you actually see is a product of other factors. Mainly the very uneven distribution of the microwaves inside the oven. Another example is the way meat, for example, will appear to defrost on the outside while being frozen on the inside. This is due to the way heat energy distributes through themeat itself, rather than an 'impact' effect.

    So, assuming the milk is on a turntable, as far as the microwaves are concerned the cups are irrelevent. They just bounce around and excite molecules. On average, heating all of them evenly.

    Maybe.

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    Goron goron Kumagoro's Avatar
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    I think it would take longer.

    If you put two packets of something in a microwave it takes
    longer to cook than one. I'm surprised anyone thought that
    it wouldn't take longer.

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    Senior Member JPreston's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TeePee View Post
    ...most of the microwaves will always go all the way through the milk. Some will simply 'impact' molecules on the way through. Because of this, theoretically, the things you put in the microwave don't heat from the outside in, but evenly throughout..
    Oi don't agree, Sean Connery would go to Legolaaand. I reckon most of the waves impact and are absorbed within the first cm or two. It's not a neutrino oven.

    If you put a chicken leg in a microwave oven, the thin boney end cooks dry before the thigh even warms up.

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    Anything on the yawning?

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    Goron goron Kumagoro's Avatar
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    Ive heard that you yawn to get more oxygen in you.

    But why is it infectious?

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    Pseudo-Mad Scientist Whiternoise's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stewart View Post
    Why do we yawn?
    It's a method of increasing the Oxygen supply to the brain iirc

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    Quote Originally Posted by Whiternoise View Post
    It's a method of increasing the Oxygen supply to the brain iirc
    cool
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    Re: Boiling milk conundrum

    yawning turns over the stale air at the bottom of the lungs. Which otherwise dosent get refreshed much.

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    Re: Boiling milk conundrum

    milk would boil first

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