# Sparking Grapes **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 4, 2001, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712 "2001-03-04T10:27:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Noisia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/76d3ee/32.png) [@Noisia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noisia)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 10:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/1 "2001-03-04T10:27:09Z")
[The Experiment in Question](http://www.sci.tamucc.edu/~pmichaud/grape/) i tried this a year or two ago and it’s amazing. the question i’ve had on my mind since then is why in gods name do grapes spark when microwaved in that way? i’ve asked people who are supposedly knowledgable in the area but to no result. so, can anyone help me out? everyone should really try it out too. ---
**Author:** ![Noisia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/76d3ee/32.png) [@Noisia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Noisia)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 10:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/2 "2001-03-04T10:30:40Z")
fucking fuck. i screwed up. sorry everybody. time to go live out my days in the woods away from the public eye. i can’t just edit it/delete it away either. sorry again. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/3 "2001-03-04T14:08:00Z")
hey, **Noisia** , don’t beat yourself up about this. You’ve provided an interesting link, and a general question - why do grapes spark in the microwave? It’s just in the wrong forum - maybe the mods could move it to GQ? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/4 "2001-03-04T18:36:27Z")
Don’t worry about it, **Noisia** … Users can’t edit or move posts, but we moderators can. When you do screw up (inevitable… Everyone screws up sometimes), just e-mail one of us, and we’ll do what we can to fix it. Off to GQ. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/5 "2001-03-04T18:51:13Z")
In [this old thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=3394) _handy_ posted [this link](http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/3717/Geeks/eegrape.htm) on the theory. I didn’t read it yet, so hope it works. ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2001, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/6 "2001-03-04T18:55:11Z")
Damn preview screw-up. I meant to thank _handy_ for giving a theory-link [here](http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/3717/Geeks/eegrape.htm) in the thread above. ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2001, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/7 "2001-03-09T14:39:19Z")
Bumping this to say (a) I tried it and it works. I grabbed 5 or 6 whole green grapes, stuck them in a Corelle cereal bowl, shoved the thing in there and set it on “nuke”, and immediately sparks, flame, and smoke starting coming out of the grapes, which survived with little burned spots all over their skin. Bonzo wandered in and was immediately enraptured. “Wow! Cool!” Once again he will be the star of the Middle School lunchroom, and we plan on experimenting more tomorrow. And (b) can ANYBODY give me a 25 cent version of the explanation in the [Handy/Samclem link?](http://www.geocities.com/Tokyo/Temple/3717/Geeks/eegrape.htm) The “big brain” explanation left me reeling and clutching my coffee mug in despair. “Capacitance”? “Dielectric”? Huh? me no speak. me drink coffee. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![stuyguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@stuyguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stuyguy)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2001, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sparking-grapes/56712/8 "2001-03-09T15:12:54Z")
Of course grapes spark. How do you think they make sparkling wine?!?!