Difference between revisions of "Microwave oven"
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[[Image:Microwave 750pix.jpg|right|thumb|A typical microwave oven.|250px]] | [[Image:Microwave 750pix.jpg|right|thumb|A typical microwave oven.|250px]] | ||
| − | A '''microwave oven''' is a kitchen device used for heating [[food]]. Unlike | + | A '''microwave oven''' is a kitchen device used for heating [[food]]. Unlike conventional appliances which use heating elements, this works by irradiating food with high frequency [[electromagnetic radiation]] which causes [[water]] molecules to rapidly flip back and forth, attempting to magnetically align with the EM wave. All water molecules should be affected the same way within a microwave oven, as long as the EM wave is fluctuating through them. This results in friction, which causes the production of heat energy throughout the food. However, as there are parts in every wave which remain constant (as sort of pivots) this affect is not even. To help deal with this problem, most modern microwave ovens have a rotating platter on which food is placed, so the food moves through these hot and cold spots resulting in more even heating.<ref name="explainthatstuff.com oven">https://www.explainthatstuff.com/microwaveovens.html</ref><ref name="howstuffworks">https://home.howstuffworks.com/microwave.htm</ref> |
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| + | ==Design== | ||
| + | Microwave ovens are basically constructed as an EM resistant box (with a mesh over the front window act as a Faraday cage). Within this box, a step-up transformer feeds high voltage power into a magnetron, which generates an EM field in two directions.<ref>https://www.explainthatstuff.com/how-magnetrons-work.html</ref> A waveguide then directs one half of this emission over into the food holding area where it interacts with water. The other half emission is typically reflected into a dead-end, so that it does not cancel out the waves in use from the other side, or cause any damage.<ref name="explainthatstuff.com oven">https://www.explainthatstuff.com/microwaveovens.html</ref><ref name="howstuffworks">https://home.howstuffworks.com/microwave.htm</ref> | ||
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| + | ==References== | ||
| + | {{reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Electronics]][[Category:Domestic Life]] | [[Category:Electronics]][[Category:Domestic Life]] | ||
Revision as of 04:38, January 25, 2019
A microwave oven is a kitchen device used for heating food. Unlike conventional appliances which use heating elements, this works by irradiating food with high frequency electromagnetic radiation which causes water molecules to rapidly flip back and forth, attempting to magnetically align with the EM wave. All water molecules should be affected the same way within a microwave oven, as long as the EM wave is fluctuating through them. This results in friction, which causes the production of heat energy throughout the food. However, as there are parts in every wave which remain constant (as sort of pivots) this affect is not even. To help deal with this problem, most modern microwave ovens have a rotating platter on which food is placed, so the food moves through these hot and cold spots resulting in more even heating.[1][2]
Design
Microwave ovens are basically constructed as an EM resistant box (with a mesh over the front window act as a Faraday cage). Within this box, a step-up transformer feeds high voltage power into a magnetron, which generates an EM field in two directions.[3] A waveguide then directs one half of this emission over into the food holding area where it interacts with water. The other half emission is typically reflected into a dead-end, so that it does not cancel out the waves in use from the other side, or cause any damage.[1][2]