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Q: Microwave question ( Answered,   0 Comments )
Question  
Subject: Microwave question
Category: Family and Home > Food and Cooking
Asked by: smcracraft-ga
List Price: $10.00
Posted: 29 Jul 2005 20:42 PDT
Expires: 28 Aug 2005 20:42 PDT
Question ID: 549682
Two questions about microwave ovens: is it wrong to run microwave
ovens with nothing in them and if yes, why.
Answer  
Subject: Re: Microwave question
Answered By: justaskscott-ga on 29 Jul 2005 21:47 PDT
 
Hello smcracraft,

Running a microwave oven with nothing it is hard on the magnetron that
produces the microwaves:

"What happens if you start the microwave oven with nothing inside?

The magnetron creates microwaves that travel into the cooking chamber
and should be absorbed there.  If there is no food (or rather no
water-containing food), those microwaves will not be absorbed and will
eventually find their way back to the magnetron.  Eventually the
magnetron will absorb as many microwaves as it emits.  This situation
is hard on the magnetron, which works best when it has very little
radiation returning to it.  That is why you should never run a
microwave empty."

"Microwave Ovens" (March 20, 1995)
Physics 106N - How Things Work [University of Virginia]
http://landau1.phys.virginia.edu/classes/106/1995/omp/032095.html

For a more technical discussion of possible negative consequences of
running an empty microwave oven, see:

"Unwise Microwave Oven Experiments," by William J. Beaty [under "Q:
Corona discharges? High voltage? Balderdash! The watts per cm^2 is too
small!"]
Science Hobbyist
http://www.amasci.com/weird/microexp.html

- justaskscott


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