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A microwave oven is a familiar household appliance. Let's take a look at what's inside. The whole thing is basically a steel box that has an opening in the front fitted with a door. The door has a side with hinges and the latch is on the other side. Obvious, but something that needed to be noted for later. The inside where the item to be heated is placed is called the cavity. It's steel, too. Microwaves can't go through steel. Plug the power cord in and it's ready to use. There is a control panel and a display. Somewhere inside, almost always behind the control panel, is a circuit board which is the home for the electronics that run the machine. One tells the unit what one wants and the electronics makes it happen. Remember the door and the latch? The latch assembly inside the unit where a user cannot see it has some microswitches that provide protection. If the door is unlatched with the unit on, it will shut off before the door can be opened. And it cannot be turned on with the door open. We're inside the machine now, inside the cover, but not inside the cavity, okay? Inside this interior space is a fan. It pulls air through vents in the side and across the electronics board when the oven is on. The air is blown out of the fan and through the cooling fins of the magnetron, which is the microwave generating device in the oven. It's the real heart of the appliance. The air comes out of the cooling fins and is then ducted past the light and into the cavity. The holes in the cavity are doing double duty letting air in and light, too. The air then picks up moisture (and other stuff) from the cooking process and carries them out vent holes on the other side of the cavity and then out of the oven itself through external vents. There are some temperature sensors in the oven that detect if something is too hot, and one of them will shut the oven down if necessary. (A fire in the cavity will be picked up by a sensor and the unit will shut down.) Remember the magnetron? When the oven is told to come on, the magnetron will be energized through a relay (if all door interlocks and the temperature sensors give the okay). The control circuit actually powers up the primary side of a high voltage transformer, which has a big capacitor and a big diode on its secondary side (as well as the magnetron). The cap and diode act as an electrical pump to hit the magnetron with some serious high voltage (between one and two thousand volts) and some serious current. The generated microwaves are then coupled into a waveguide and into the cavity through a little window. This window can be seen inside the cavity, but it isn't something that one can see through. It's almost invariably made of mica (the mineral) and though visible light doesn't do well trying to get through it, microwaves don't have a problem. Inside the cavity, the microwaves bounce around and are absorbed by the item(s) being heated. (Please don't run the unit empty. It doesn't like that, and it could be damaged as a result.) There may be a turntable operated via a little drive hub that is belt connected to a small low rpm motor. Things may differ from machine to machine, but they are mostly just variations on a theme.
What else can I help you with?
Can Le Creuset cookware be used in the microwave?
No, Le Creuset cookware is not safe to use in the microwave as it is made of materials that are not microwave-safe.
What is the microwave made of?
Microwave cookware can be made from a variety of materials. The biggest material used is polypropylene to make microwave cookware. Glass and organic minerals can also be used to make microwave cookware.
What are the properties and applications of microwave absorption materials?
Microwave absorption materials have properties that allow them to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic energy at microwave frequencies. These materials are used in various applications such as radar absorbing coatings, stealth technology, and electromagnetic interference shielding.
What types of materials that absorb microwaves are commonly used in the construction of microwave ovens?
Common materials that absorb microwaves and are used in the construction of microwave ovens include ceramic, glass, and certain types of plastics. These materials help to contain and distribute the microwave energy within the oven, allowing for efficient cooking and heating of food.
What are the properties and applications of microwave absorbing material?
Microwave absorbing materials have properties that allow them to absorb and dissipate electromagnetic energy from microwaves. These materials are used in various applications such as stealth technology, radar absorption, and electromagnetic interference shielding.
What are some materials that can go in a microwave?
Some materials that can go in a microwave include microwave-safe glass, ceramic, and some types of plastic labeled as microwave-safe. It is important to avoid putting metal, aluminum foil, and containers that are not labeled as microwave-safe in the microwave as they can cause sparks or fires.
What three types of materials are used to make impressions?
Dental materials are examples of materials that are used to make impressions.
Who first used plants to make materials?
who first used plants to make materials
What materials was used to make coal trucks?
what materials were used to make coal trucks
What Materials are used to make a blanket?
Wool or Cotton. They are both materials that can be used to make a blanket.
What are materials used to make blanket?
Wool or Cotton. They are both materials that can be used to make a blanket.
What materials are used to make cement?
The materials used to make cement are,Calcareous materials (limestone)Argillaceous materials (clay)gypsumCoal dustIron oxidemagnesiumAlkalies
