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Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

We heard that a bowl of Epsom salts placed near a microwave or TV reduces microwave emissions, and these cause the crystals to turn to powder over time. This sounds like an urban myth, but we tried it.

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by kleer001
on 2009-06-17 18:50:21

(no votes)

The real test would be to place similar bowls of the salt in different places: outside in the shade, outside in the sun, in a cool dark place inside, in the bathroom, etc... Check the bowls in the morning and the evening. Keep lots of notes and let us know what happened.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

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Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Simon
on 2009-06-18 13:13:48

(no votes)

Did you try it INSIDE the oven with it switched on?If that DOESN#39;T do it, you know it#39;s NOT an effect of the microwaves.:-)Simon

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

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Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Puckoon
on 2009-06-19 00:24:15

(no votes)

Epsom salts (Magnesium sulphate) is a salt which is capable of existing with various degrees of hydration. In high humidity it will absorb water to the extent that it is liquid and in dry or hot environments it will lose water and become dry and powder like. It has nothing to do with microwaves or TVs and everything to do with the environment. You can of course heat and dry Epsom Salts in a Microwave because of its high moisture level.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

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Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-06-21 10:11:38

(no votes)

I know that this salt is a major absorbent of sound waves in sea water. It turns the sound waves into heat. Perhaps it reacts the same way when exposed to these devices that produce microwaves.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

Report abuse

Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-06-23 19:01:15

(no votes)

You can check for microwave emmissions by putting your mobile phone in the oven and trying to call it. I would recommend leaving the oven off.If it doesn#39;t ring then the shielding is intact and microwaves will not be able to escape. If it rings then it might be time for a new microwave...

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

Report abuse

Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Dominic Fortes
on 2009-06-23 21:33:01

(no votes)

Sounds to me as though the epsom salts are losing some of the water bound into the crystal structure. Under typical British conditions, epsom salts transform from being water-clear prismatic crystals to white powdery lumps. What has occured is that the one non-Mg coordinated water molecule has been lost, leaving MgSO4.6H2O (aka hexahydrite).Sticking it in the microwave is almost certainly doing the same job.

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

Report abuse

Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Graham
on 2009-06-24 17:29:54

(no votes)

This is strangely the reverse of what you would expect. Every time I open my microwave the air coming out feels humid but Epson Salts is powdery when desiccated. Experiment now required!!

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

Report abuse

Can a microwave oven really reduce Epsom salt crystals to powder?

To our surprise, the salts turned to powder within a week or two. Why does this occur? Are microwaves really involved?

Arlene Dowling, Australia

(Image: grz3gorz, stock.xchng)

Editorial status: In magazine.

(no votes)

There are 14 answer(s) for this question. View answers | Submit an answer

Answered by Anonymous
on 2009-06-29 14:42:27

(no votes)

I doubt there is much microwave radiation escaping from your microwave anyway as it#39;s a faraday cage

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:04:00

Member status
none

Last edited on: 2010-03-17 13:19:38

Categories: Domestic Science, Technology.

Tags: microwave, crystal, powder, Epsomsalt.

Report abuse

Balanced lifestyle Why do some birds stand on one leg?Alexander Middleton, Moorooka, Queensland, Australia(Image: bugdog, stock.xchng)Thanks to all those who offered the answer: "If they picked up the other leg they'd fall over." The old jokes are still the best - Ed
(no votes) There are 29 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by kleer001
on 2008-10-15 20:11:00

(no votes)

because if they lifted both legs they'd fall down!

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Asked by Michael Marshall
on 2009-06-17 17:03:00

Member status
none

Categories: Animals.

Tags: animals, domestic science.

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Balanced lifestyle Why do some birds stand on one leg?Alexander Middleton, Moorooka, Queensland, Australia(Image: bugdog, stock.xchng)Thanks to all those who offered the answer: "If they picked up the other leg they'd fall over." The old jokes are still the best - Ed
(no votes) There are 29 answer(s) for this question. View answers \| Submit an answer

Answered by Katherine
on 2008-10-16 00:43:00

(no votes)

I don't know why birds do it, but I do know that I often do it as well, usually when I am required to stand for more than a few minutes in an informal setting if I am wearing bare feet and clothes that permit the posture, which involves resting the raised foot on the other leg, somewhere between the groin and the knee. I especially do it preparing food or washing the dishes. All my life people have commented on my peculiar habit but to me it is both natural and comfortable, and I do it unthinkingly for no other reason than that it is simply more comfortable, in a way that I cannot define. I assume that my long legs and mobile hips make it more easy for me than for the short and inflexible, but I don't know any other lanky people who stand on one leg. So conformation, motivation, opportunity, and social setting are needed. TV programmes and magazines show that Australian aborigines and African bush people also do it. I recently read a brochure from my GP that said that people with low blood pressure (which includes me) will often stand cross-legged in an unconscious effort to reduce the flow of blood to the feet. Maybe standing on one leg is also to do with low blood pressure. Or maybe its purpose is just to rest one foot and then the other, but I haven't found putting all my weight on one foot all that restful for the load-bearing foot, and so have to change legs every few minutes.

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