What would happen if you put a pickle in the microwave?

Placing a whole pickle inside a metal microwave container would lead to arcing and a plasma being generated as the intense electromagnetic waves interacted with the metal.

The high amount of salt and water content in the pickle makes it a good conductor of electricity, which combined with the metal surroundings provides a pathway for the microwave's energy to dissipate.

Arcs that are formed have the potential to damage internal microwave components and also lead to the formation of harmful compounds such as nitrogen oxides.

The result of putting a metal container with pickles in the microwave is a loud bang, potential sparking and the immediate shut down of the microwave in order to prevent fire damage.

Instead, it is recommended to heat pickles by either putting them in a microwave safe container, or by using the stove top.