Standing wave patterns. I didn’t watch it, but saw a youtube video promising to measure the speed of light with chocolate (assuming the frequency of a microwave oven is accurate).
There’s a neat experiment you can do to see how it uses a standing wave to heat the food, and why you get hot spots.
Put a plate of cheese into the microwave (remove the rotating tray first if it’s got one), and run it long enough that the cheese just barely starts to melt.
You’ll get lines of melted cheese with unmelted in between. The distance between the melted lines is the wavelength of the microwaves.
Constructive interference of the micro waves causes hot spots, destructive interference causes cold spots. Just ask any of the 8th graders I teach. No wait, don’t ask, they had their test over a week ago. ;)
favm over 4 years ago
Where are you going to plug it?
Zykoic over 4 years ago
Maxwell is to blame.
sandpiper over 4 years ago
So that’s how that happened. Always wondered.
enigmamz over 4 years ago
Thickness/density.
hariseldon59 over 4 years ago
I guess he hasn’t invented the rotating carousel yet.
jagedlo over 4 years ago
gives me an idea of what to have for breakfast this morning…
Troglodyte over 4 years ago
Wiz’s inventions are always spotty.
dvandom over 4 years ago
https://what-if.xkcd.com/131/
Wizard of Ahz-no relation over 4 years ago
I love to cook, I refuse to even own one of these things
vaughnrl2003 Premium Member over 4 years ago
So that’s what happened. I wasn’t a lack of quality control. It was a matter of apathy. ‘Good enough’ over ‘six sigma’.
keltii over 4 years ago
from what I’ve noticed, the handle is usually on the other side of the door?
stuart over 4 years ago
Standing wave patterns. I didn’t watch it, but saw a youtube video promising to measure the speed of light with chocolate (assuming the frequency of a microwave oven is accurate).
WCraft Premium Member over 4 years ago
And, just for giggles and grins, let’s put in a blinking LED light that always reads: 12:00!
ImpishCoder over 4 years ago
There’s a neat experiment you can do to see how it uses a standing wave to heat the food, and why you get hot spots.
Put a plate of cheese into the microwave (remove the rotating tray first if it’s got one), and run it long enough that the cheese just barely starts to melt.
You’ll get lines of melted cheese with unmelted in between. The distance between the melted lines is the wavelength of the microwaves.
Tentoes over 4 years ago
Had one that always left a frozen circle right in the middle of the pizza. Now I use a toaster oven for that.
gooddavid over 4 years ago
Constructive interference of the micro waves causes hot spots, destructive interference causes cold spots. Just ask any of the 8th graders I teach. No wait, don’t ask, they had their test over a week ago. ;)
Shikamoo Premium Member over 4 years ago
I like the pyrotechnic effects when you put metal in it too.