Sausages for Science

Dec 26, 2013 12:11 PM

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566055

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4369

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67

Our humble science sausage

First put a sausage in your microwave. Remove the turning plate or at least disengage it from the dog clutch( the three triangles it locks into). So it wont turn.

Microwave!

Should only take a few seconds until it begins to bubble. Don't over heat!

Measure!

Measure from the beginning of the first bubble to the end of the second. This is why it's important not to over heat you want to identify where the sausage is heated by microwaves NOT simply by being next to hot sausage.

Mines 12.5cm from start of first left bubble to end of right bubble.

Find your microwaves frequency

Most will have it on the back of the device. Mine is 2.45GHz (almost all of them will be about this value)

Now it's simply maths. 2.45GHz is 2.45x10^9Hz.
12.5cm is 0.125m.

Speed = frequency x wavelength

2.45x10^9 * 0.125 = 306 250 000m/s

The speed of light is 299 792 458 m/s You just calculated the speed of light to within 2.11% with a sausage at home.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

That one doesn’t loop so well.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

"Hot Sausage" would be a good band name

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

+1 for humble science sausage

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

If I wanted to see a sausage fest, I would have gone over to 4chan.

12 years ago | Likes 84 Dislikes 3

Alright you got your beams and struts, you want your 3/8 inch beams here, you knock a false hole in the ceiling, you run AC power you run co

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

To be fair. With the speed of light, 2.11% is fairly fucking far away from the actual speed of light.

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I've had an 800% error in a chemistry class before--and my error values are usually at like 60%, so 2.11% is SUPER ACCURATE.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Measuring c with something not designed to do so at a 2.11% error is really good though. It's like measuring your height with a barometer.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

(And yes, I know a dozen or so different ways to do that too)

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Neat!

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Science oven!

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

12 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 1

How I picture some of those “SCIENCE FTW!” dorks on here.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is sausage to me

12 years ago | Likes 50 Dislikes 2

~reads and immediately deletes identical post~

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Nice little experiment, but you are doing it wrong. You need to measure the distance between the centres of the bubbles and multiply by 2.

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Or you can measure from start of first bubble to the start of the second bubble and multiply by 2.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Could you do this with a banana instead? Or would it just turn into green goo?

12 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

EL PSY CONGROOOOOOOO

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

It's all because of that metal Oopa

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I think we've all measured our sausages in the name of science before...

12 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 0

I don't know what to do with this information...

12 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 1

Calculate the speed of light in a hotdog obviously.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

HOT DOG! that's awesome

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Is there a reason why this works? Why the bubbles appear where they do?

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Microwaves form standing waves inside the chamber, heating is periodic - easier to test with chocolate disk/bar.

10 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Yes. The speed of sausage. I understand completely.

12 years ago | Likes 25 Dislikes 0

Let me guess, /r/shittyscience?

12 years ago | Likes 36 Dislikes 10

I'm not completely sure what the principle is yet, but it does seem reasonable. Microwaves are 1mm - 1mm wavelength.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

r/mildlyinteresting actually

12 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 0

thats actually quite intelligent.

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

It's actually junk science. Speed of light is a constant independent from the frequency of the waves.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 6

Yes, but the wavelength (which you measured) depends on the frequency and knowing both lets you estimate speed of light. c=L*f

12 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

we seem to have a bright one over here. the amplitude of the wave has maxima and minima in one wavelength. at the maxima more energy is 1/2

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

transmitted to the sausage, therefore more bubbles. by this you have an very easy, not very precise way of determing the wavelength.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is sausage to me...

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

This is a hot dog. Not a sausage

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

its fun of course, but its invalid proof, its not good to show it to your kids

12 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 2

Explain why it's invalid?

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

The excitation is on an atomic level and the waves come from multiple directions. The bubble sizes are not caused by the wavelength.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

The wave comes from one direction and gets reflected, resulting in a standing wave.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

he is not finding the speed of light, he just shows that freq of the microwave is correct. there is only one speed of light.

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

I did this in a physics lab with chocolate. You measure the distance between melted spots. Then eat it. Omnomscience.

12 years ago | Likes 166 Dislikes 0

+1for omnomscience

12 years ago | Likes 14 Dislikes 0

Me too, got top marks for that assignment, and it was a major one. (The chocolate thing was only a small part)

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Are you a brilliant troll or just a terrible scientist?

12 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

SCIENCE BITCH!

12 years ago | Likes 21 Dislikes 2

Is that a... Wait no a.. Whaaaa???

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Your calculations are wrong. You used the equation for the speed of light in vacuum. Sorry brah.

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Can we make "within a sausage" a new imgur unit of measure?

12 years ago | Likes 15 Dislikes 3

Only if it's a measurement of velocity!

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

that's a new measure of accuracy! the estimated weight of the cargo was 1642 pounds, within a sausage

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I support this new unit of measurement

12 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

Seconded. Let the voting begin. You know the drill; all in favor: Upvote. All Against: Downvote.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

This is however inaccurate because you would be measuring 2 waves peaks not one.... That many other issues....

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

You'd want 2 wave peaks because the two peaks coincide with 1 wavelength. Peak to peak, or trough to trough is the easiest way to measure it

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Aren't the peaks in the middle of the bubbles? So we should measure from the front of one bubble to the front of the other.

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

I thought it was from start to start, not 2 complete...

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Mine is 1.21 gigawatts

12 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 0

That's heavy, doc.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

12 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

But what is its frequency?

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

Uhh... Beef Wellington?

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Oh, that's really hot.

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Banana for scale. Guitar for temperature. Hot dog for speed of light. Got it.

12 years ago | Likes 1894 Dislikes 6

Cherry for contrast.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

By the end of 2014, it will be customary to end an album wearing a Guitar, fur coat, monocle, while holding a cat and banana for scale.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Careful with that guitar for temp. reference, it's an antique and might break if handled improperly.

12 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

Jose for height?

12 years ago | Likes 35 Dislikes 0

He's five-foot-juan inches

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

I think he's a secondary scale item, best used for buffalo.

12 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

don't forget elephants for depth

12 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

Cop pulls you over: "Do you have any idea of how many hotdogs were you going?"

12 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

Good spy, Wattson!

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Standing on the shoulders of giant Moonkeys.

12 years ago | Likes 6 Dislikes 0

1337!

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Hot dog for speed. Now we're on to something here... Internet's units of measurement....

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

So can we use sausage-year for astronomical distances?

12 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 0

sausage-microwave-years

12 years ago | Likes 5 Dislikes 0

when does this shirt come out?

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Where did the guitar-one come from?

12 years ago | Likes 106 Dislikes 2

From it being tOo cold to pool outside.

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Now I'm curious as to where Banana for scale came from....

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

God i feel like I've been on imgur for so that when people are asking this and i know the answer

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 1

A guitar hovering over a frozen pool

12 years ago | Likes 7 Dislikes 0

It's not the original post but here's the pic: http://imgur.com/niX2SXR

12 years ago | Likes 17 Dislikes 0

aaahhh! yes, now I remember.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

[deleted]

[deleted]

12 years ago (deleted Oct 21, 2024 11:45 PM) | Likes 0 Dislikes 0

Thank you good citizen!

12 years ago | Likes 26 Dislikes 0

Important history right there.

12 years ago | Likes 13 Dislikes 0

life complete.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

if you have to ask then you're never gonna learn

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 2

Well if I'm not asking, how will I learn?

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

Well considering that was a question, I don't think you ever will.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

pretty sure the post said sausage.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

JEsus just go invent something already you are a fucking scientist

12 years ago | Likes 189 Dislikes 2

You can do the same thing with a quesadilla...the cheese melts in two concentric circles

12 years ago | Likes 12 Dislikes 1

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

engineers invent, scientists discover

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

Shhhhhhhh

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

i could almost hear the emotion in your comment

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

And a European from the use of "maths."

12 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 2

It said maths in the description

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

The correct use

12 years ago | Likes 9 Dislikes 3

Also the Tesco microwave.

12 years ago | Likes 3 Dislikes 0

All other countries use the Metric System - it's more scientific..

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 3

Instructions unclear, penis currently traveling at lightspeed.

12 years ago | Likes 743 Dislikes 4

LOL how can people think so funny things to write?

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 1

I HAVEN'T LAUGED THIS HARD SINCE I WAS A LITTLE GIRL THANK YOU GOOD SIR

11 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

lucky you, I'm sure someone microwaved theirs and now has little bubbles on it.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Win

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 1

"An average penis of length 13cm traveling at 99% the speed of light will contract down to a length of only 1.8cm"

12 years ago | Likes 10 Dislikes 0

You, I like you.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

I laughed for an uncomfortably long time at this comment and now my tummy hurts. Blaming you.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

That is a blame I am comfortable accepting. :-)

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

In theory, it's mass is infinite. Alert the media.

12 years ago | Likes 69 Dislikes 1

If it is travelling at c, its mass has to actually be 0. Nothing with m>0 can travel at c.

11 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

That explains my pants.

12 years ago | Likes 8 Dislikes 1

although the mass is infinite, the size remains constant.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

well technically the size remains constant, the space around it however, expands, and thus your penis has contracted to an infinitesimally

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

small size, sucks dude.

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

in actuality, its mass is infinite.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Haha thanks, I didn't even notice that. I usually do, but hey.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

:P

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

Why speed of light sex is a very bad idea: http://johnmm.bol.ucla.edu/sexualphysics/procreation.htm

12 years ago | Likes 19 Dislikes 0

incinerate them." 3/3

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

this reminds me of when I proposed a car powered by high intensity lights (as a joke) that would emit lights so powerful that it would

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0

There's a whole webpage just for this? The internet really does have everything!

12 years ago | Likes 11 Dislikes 0

Hilarious, but I can't help but wonder... why, why does this exist?

12 years ago | Likes 4 Dislikes 0

Because physicists like mind games.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

heavy, just impossible to accelerate or decelerate.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

the blackhole part is inaccurate, although it will attain infinite mass, its gravitational pull will not increase, so it won't be very

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

No, it's accurate, as you are piling together infinite energy, the energy density warps space into a black hole.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

as an object accelerates, its gravitational pull remains constant, if it gained energy through a conversion of energy to mass, then it

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

Then it has the energy in the form of kinetic energy, which still contributes to the energy density.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 0

would collapse into a black hole upon reaching sufficient mass.

12 years ago | Likes 1 Dislikes 1

push the car forward (while also fighting gravity), and one guy asked if it would blind people so I said "no of course not, it would 2/3

12 years ago | Likes 2 Dislikes 0