waves - wavelength of microwaves...marshmallows on plastic tray put in microwave oven..remove the rotating glass plate first med power for about 1 min (may have to experiment depending on microwave) marshmallows melt at approx wavelength as standing waves set up in microwave oven. I remembered one bizarre experiment the other week. Maybe possible to do in class, but memorable anyway: Measuring the speed of light with a microwave over and a plate of cheese. It works!
waves - wavelength of microwaves...marshmallows on plastic tray put in microwave oven..remove the rotating glass plate first med power for about 1 min (may have to experiment depending on microwave) marshmallows melt at approx wavelength as standing waves set up in microwave oven.
I remembered one bizarre experiment the other week. Maybe possible to do in class, but memorable anyway: Measuring the speed of light with a microwave over and a plate of cheese. It works! Find how large a plate will fit in your microwave oven and cover the plate with grated cheese. (A tightly-packed array of marshmallows would also work, I hear). Make sure the plate won't rotate in the microwave (depends on the type of turntable) a cook the cheese until some of it melts. Some cold spots will be left - unmelted cheese - and the distance between these gives the wavelength of the microwaves (about 12 cm). On the back of the microwave, it should give the frequency (2450 MHz mine said). And 2450 MHz x 0.12 cm is 2.94E8 m/s
Find speed of light using marshmallows and a microwave - put marshmallows in a shallow dish (mini ones work better) and put in microwave with the turntable fixed. cook for 1 min - 90 secs and the standing waves melt the marshmallows in stripes separated (in our machine) by about 6cm. Use the oven's frequency, v=fl and it works out well! and they get to eat the marshmallows - messily - at the end. bribery is great.