… which answers the thread title, but the OP makes clear the real question is “what is flame?”.
(Warning! Hijack follows!) Something else that is fascinating is that if you put two carrots close to each other in a microwave oven and turn it on, you will see sparks between the carrots.
Just think of the 1920’s-style possibilities of combining carrots with Mangetout’s candle-powered beam weapon.
RR
Just what are we talking about here?
Using a good friend’s MW? A co-worker’s? A romantic interest you’re about to dump? A romantic interest who is about to dump you?
Will the MW be usable afterword? Cleanable? Trash?
All of the above!
Oh yes, absolutely. If you don’t contain the plasma in some sort of Pyrex container (which I highly recommend you do if you have a suitable container; NOT ordinary glass–it will shatter), you’ll likely have more or less permanent scorch marks on the ceiling of the cavity, and if there’s any plastic up there, it will likely melt and/or burn.
Sorry for the serial hijack…
So, an oven safe, see through container placed over a lit candle with some room at the bottom to get O[sub]2[/sub] to the flame and use a microwave oven that you still have the receipt for… put it on high for a minute?
Yep.
And here is a video. This one uses a match instead of a candle, but you get the idea. Don’t let it run too long, even with Pyrex, and don’t touch the glass right away afterwards–it will be very hot.
Awesome.
Now THAT is plasma.