> wrote in message
ups.com...
> I was trying to make some popcorn balls. Two of the ingredients were
> sugar and honey. One of these two heats to greater than the melting
> point of plastic.
>
>
> I have nuked food many times without burning a hole in the bowl. Not
> so this time.
>

anything
1) that will reach the roughly 400 degrees at which plastic melts and
2) has enough conductivity to deliver enough mass of heat to the bowl and
3) is big enough to hold the heat above bowl melting before the bowl plastic
can dissipate it

- water goes no higher than 212 F or so: e.g., soups, veggies, etc don't
get hot enough to melt plastic

- oil goes over 400, so it can melt plastic: e.g., some meats are oily, and
their fat will melt plastic.

- a small spot of oil does not have enough mass to get enough heat in it
fast enough that the bowl can't get spread that heat out quick enough not to
melt at the spot. A larger amount of oil can get enough heat from the oven
so that the bowl can't handle it, and melts the plastic