To be afraid or not to be afraid of the microwave? The best weapon in the fight against fear is knowledge. When you understand the mechanism of the device, it is easier to understand its harmfulness or harmlessness. Even an elementary understanding that the consumer, not a physicist or engineer, is at the level of the microwave helps to logically assess the likelihood of risks. All the useful information about the technology of the device and the complete debunking of myths is in this article.
The principle of operation of the microwave oven
The first thing you need to understand is how the device works. Every microwave oven, regardless of design, operates on the same principle:
– A device with a “scary” name – a magnetron – is the “heart” of every microwave. It is he who generates the very microwave-radio waves, the frequency of which is 2450 MHz. The energy released during its operation is transformed into heat. This heat heats the food in a targeted manner.
– For the magnetron to work, a power source is needed. Therefore, the system does not function without anode-rock stabilizer transformers. They are one of the key and most expensive parts of the device.
– The device heats food faster than traditional ovens only due to the directed radiation of heat. During operation, models such as the MGC20100S reflect the heat from the inner surface of the appliance, increasing the thermal effect.
– The door is not just an element of the microwave’s aesthetic appearance. It is responsible for the safe use of the appliance: it blocks the operation of the device when the user opens it. In addition, the door protects people from microwave radiation.
What happens to the food?
School knowledge of chemistry and physics will help you understand this question. But first, a little history.
The creation of the microwave is attributed to Percy Spencer, an American inventor. According to legend, he accidentally left a sandwich on the radar and after a while discovered that the food had heated up. Wasting no time, Percy patented the novelty. It so happened that the popular household appliance became the heir to military equipment thanks to the principle of operation based on microwave radiation.
But how is food heated?
Every product contains water, and water molecules are dipolar. That is, one end of the molecule is positively charged, and the other end is negatively charged. And it is precisely this type of molecule that can be heated by microwaves: the electric field “forces” the dipole molecules to line up in the same position – a positive charge is directed in one direction, and a negative charge in the other.
Under the influence of radiation, the molecules begin to move and intensively “rub” against each other – like socks in a centrifuge. This friction generates heat, which, in turn, heats the food – from pizza to porridge.
How does a microwave oven affect a person?
For almost a century of its existence, the microwave oven has been overgrown with all kinds of myths and legends. “Experts” wishing to make money by spreading false and misleading information have flooded the Internet with articles claiming that it is not just harmful, but downright dangerous to humans.
But on closer inspection, none of the theses about how the device negatively affects people can withstand even superficial criticism. Here are the most popular myths:
- HIGH level of radiation that causes diseases like cancer and suppresses the immune system. First of all, the amount of radiation emitted by a conventional type E model is much lower than the threshold established by international standards. In addition, the device is designed to include a so-called Faraday cage and a door with a double-independent closing system. Therefore, the “terrible rays” cannot penetrate the human body. Secondly, microwave radiation is of the non-ionizing type. Therefore, microwaves cannot affect a person in a similar way.
- Food from a microwave oven loses its beneficial properties and becomes dangerous to people. The myth originates from a 1975 study that described how broccoli changed shape and texture after being cooked in a microwave oven. Oddly enough, during any heat treatment, products change – stewed or fried broccoli will definitely be different from raw.
- change the molecular structure of water. New chemical compounds that scare “kitchen experts” so much can be formed only under the influence of ionizing radiation. As mentioned in the first paragraph, microwave waves are not. Therefore, such statements are unfounded.
We can safely say that when used correctly, devices like the MS2595FISW are absolutely harmless to humans. Therefore, you should not worry about the speculations and assumptions of unqualified people whose goal is to cause panic among users of a convenient and useful device.
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