How your microwave oven works
Microwave ovens are safe. Microwave energy heat. and it�s this heat that cooks the food.
Mode
is not hot. It causes
Magnetron
food to make
Its own
Ceramic Bottom
Mixer
Oven
Cavity
Metal
Floor
Microwaves are like TV waves or light waves. You can�t see them, but you can see what they do.
A magnetron in the microwave oven produces mlcrowaves. The microwaves move into the oven where they are scattered or stirred by a mode mixer (like a fan). Microwaves bounce off metal oven walls and are absorbed by food.
The ceramic bottom of your microwave oven lets microwaves through Then they bounce off a metal floor, back through the ceramic bottom and are absorbed by the food.
Microwaves pass through glass, paper and plastic without heating them so food absorbs the energy. Microwaves bounce off metal pans so food does not absorb the energy.
Mrcrowaves may not reach the center of a roast The heat around the outside IS what cooks the roast all the way through. This is one of the reasons for letting some foods (roasts, baked potatoes) stand for a while after cooking, or for stirring some foods during the cooking time.
The mlcrowaves disturb water molecules in the food. As the molecules bounce around bumping into each other, heat is made, like rubbing Your hands together. This is the heat that cooks.