How the microwave oven heats up food, you will understand after reading how it works
The microwave oven has become one of the indispensable appliances in our lives, it can heat food quickly, conveniently and quickly. But, do you know how microwaves heat food?Today, let's take a look at how the microwave oven works.
The core component of a microwave oven is a magnetron, which is capable of generating microwaves. Microwaves are a type of electromagnetic wave with a high frequency and a very short wavelength. When a microwave encounters food, it creates vibrations inside the food, which causes the water molecules in the food to vibrate rapidly, producing heat. Since this heating method comes from the inside of the food, it heats up very quickly and evenly.
So, how does a magnetron produce microwaves?Actually, the magnetron has a cathode and anode inside, and when the cathode is energized, it produces electrons. These electrons move at high speed under the attraction of the anode and at the same time generate an electromagnetic field. This electromagnetic field is constantly changing, and microwaves are generated. These microwaves are directed into a waveguide, which is then delivered to the inside of the microwave oven.
When microwaves encounter food, they interact with the water molecules in the food. The water molecule is made up of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom, and the connections between these atoms rotate very easily. When microwaves vibrate, water molecules also vibrate, and this vibration makes the electrons and nuclei inside the water molecules more active, which in turn produces heat. This heat raises the internal temperature of the food for the purpose of heating.
In addition to water molecules, other components in a microwave oven also absorb microwaves and generate heat. For example, ingredients such as fats, proteins, etc., also absorb microwaves and produce heat. However, the absorption capacity of these components for microwaves is much lower than that of water molecules, so their effect on microwaves is relatively small.
In short, microwave ovens generate microwaves through magnetrons, and when these microwaves encounter food, they will interact with the water molecules in the food, making the electrons and nuclei inside the water molecules more active, generating heat, so as to achieve the purpose of heating. This is the basic principle of microwaving food.