Get a better understanding of how a microwave works !

Get a better understanding of how a microwave works !

Microwave ovens are one of the most convenient ways of cooking food because they heat food up very quickly.

Most people have probably used a microwave at some point during their lives, but they may not realise exactly how it works. The concept is quite simple.

Does It Use Radiation?

american households use microwaves every day

Radiation is used to heat food in a microwave oven. Microwaves are the shortest type of radio wave.

They are electromagnetic waves that measure about 12cm in length. They are produced in the oven by a magnetron. When these microwaves are directed towards the good, they cause the particles within the food to become agitated.

As these particles move around, they begin to generate heat, and this is how the food becomes cooked. Most microwaves also have a setting where you can defrost food and this works on the same principle.

Is Using A Microwave Oven Safe?

The microwaves that are used to heat the food cannot escape from the oven. It is because metal surrounds the compartment where the food is cooked.

The glass doors of the oven also prevent the microwaves from escaping. Microwaves cannot pass through the materials that the oven is made from, meaning that they are only directed towards the food.

Are Microwave Ovens Efficient?

Using a microwave is more efficient than using a conventional oven, but they are not as effective overall as you may expect. A lot of energy is needed to produce the microwaves that cook the food, and some heat is always lost.

While the majority of the microwaves will be directed towards the food, there is no feature that allows them all to be concentrated on a particular spot and so the space around the food will also become heated in the same way as in a conventional oven, but to a lesser degree.

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