What Causes the Formation of Plasma in a Microwave?

[Physicist50]

Hi everyone,

I am about to enter a local Science Fair and my project revolves around creating plasma in a microwave. This is a great experiment, all you do is stick a lighted match in a cork, (or something to hold the match in place) put it in the microwave with a glass beaker over the match and switch it on. The resulting effect is a large 'blob' of plasma in the top of the beaker. But I was wondering, when this happens is it the air surronding the match being ionised, or is it the Phosphorus and and/or Potassium Chlorate in the match head?

Thanks in advance.

 

[TheSatirist]

Well, even with my very minimal knowledge about plasma, I know that plasma is formed by ionized gas(air), nowhere in the Wikipedia page did it mention Phosphorus or Potassium Chlorate! That was a joke.. But really, I would say the air is being ionized if you truly have created plasma. My answer is probably not what you were looking for but I thought I'd give my two cents since nobody else has commented at the time I was composing this.

 

[Physicist50]

Well, even with my very minimal knowledge about plasma, I know that plasma is formed by ionized gas(air), nowhere in the Wikipedia page did it mention Phosphorus or Potassium Chlorate! That was a joke.. But really, I would say the air is being ionized if you truly have created plasma. My answer is probably not what you were looking for but I thought I'd give my two cents since nobody else has commented at the time I was composing this.

Thanks TheSatirist, you probably gave about 10 cents there, not just 2