What is with this thing?What is with this thing?The truth behind a microwave ovenThe truth behind a microwave oven

By Mark PelosiBy Mark Pelosi

A Microwave OvenA Microwave Oven

I was asked to I was asked to describe how a describe how a microwave oven microwave oven works and what works and what causes the food to causes the food to heat up inside of it.heat up inside of it.

Who invented the microwave Who invented the microwave oven?oven?

When was the microwave oven When was the microwave oven invented?invented?

Why was it invented?Why was it invented?

NYS StandardsNYS Standards

NYS Standard 1 Key Idea 1NYS Standard 1 Key Idea 1

My first 2 questions are related to this My first 2 questions are related to this because they both involve inquiry by because they both involve inquiry by discovering the use of a microwave.discovering the use of a microwave.

The inventor found out what was The inventor found out what was happening and continued to pursue the happening and continued to pursue the idea of a microwave oven.idea of a microwave oven.

NYS Standards Cont.NYS Standards Cont.

The question of why it was invented The question of why it was invented relates to standard 6 key idea 1. The relates to standard 6 key idea 1. The inventor found a way to combine all the inventor found a way to combine all the parts to make a microwave oven. parts to make a microwave oven.

When he found out microwaves could heat When he found out microwaves could heat food and other items, he decided to make food and other items, he decided to make the microwave oven a working household the microwave oven a working household appliance.appliance.

Who Invented it?Who Invented it?

Percy SpencerPercy Spencer

Noticed his candy bar Noticed his candy bar melted when he was melted when he was working on radar with working on radar with microwaves.microwaves.

When was it invented?When was it invented?

It was found out about in 1945 but was not It was found out about in 1945 but was not patented until 1946 by Raytheon.patented until 1946 by Raytheon.

The first microwave oven weighed 750 lbs The first microwave oven weighed 750 lbs and was 6 ft tall!!! and was 6 ft tall!!!

Why it was invented?Why it was invented?

It was actually discovered on accident!It was actually discovered on accident!

While working on radar, Spencer While working on radar, Spencer discovered the microwaves melted his discovered the microwaves melted his candy.candy.

The microwaves cause the water The microwaves cause the water molecules to rub together and heat the molecules to rub together and heat the food in the oven.food in the oven.

SourcesSources

University of Virginia- University of Virginia- http://howthingswork.virginia.edu/microwave_ovens.htmlhttp://howthingswork.virginia.edu/microwave_ovens.htmlThe Complete Microwave Oven Service Handbook- The Complete Microwave Oven Service Handbook- http://home.cvc.org/microwaves/how_work.htmhttp://home.cvc.org/microwaves/how_work.htmNewton’s Apple- Newton’s Apple- http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubhttp://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/newton/micrwave.htmlject/lessons/newton/micrwave.htmlMSN Encarta- MSN Encarta- http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/columns/?http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/columns/?article=BNMicrowavesarticle=BNMicrowavesWikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_ovenWikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microwave_oven