What the heck is going on inside microwaves?
Chemistry For Your Life
00:00
The Basics of How Microwaves Work
Microwaves are waves with different amounts of energy, different wavelengths. Every molecule will absorb in a particular type of wave is the best way I can describe it. So water absorbs, has a nice broad absorption in the microwave region. Other things maybe won't absorb microwaves. Can you think of something that doesn't absorb in the microwave area? That might cause problems if exposed to microwaves. Metal will reflect that instead and absorb it. And then that's why metal will quote-off those electric sparks between the metal spoon or whatever because it isn't causing electricity. Sometimes my third grade friend was heating up some tortillas by accident when he accidentally left the twist tie on his paper cup
Transcript
Play full episode
