Can I turn on an empty microwave? It would seem that this question, in principle, should not excite the mind of a simple layman, because who can even come up with the idea of idling household appliances that consume quite a lot of electrical energy? However, in fact, the situation when the microwave oven is in working condition, but nothing is heated inside it, is not so rare. Most often, children play with the microwave, who like to turn the levers and press the beeping buttons just like that, but sometimes adults, wise people, also sin with this. Some of them do it out of negligence, but some out of stupidity. But still, what happens if you turn on an empty microwave? What does this mean for technology and does it mean anything at all?
Question with an edge
So, can you turn on an empty microwave? Answerlet's give right away - no. Now we can proceed to explanations and arguments. Those of us who scrupulously study various kinds of operating instructions for household appliances probably know that microwave oven manufacturers forbid turning on their products without putting something in them that, in principle, can be heated. But we understand that all manufacturers in general, and microwaves in particular, do not allow to do with their masterpieces a lot of what each of us did at least once in a lifetime.
There is hardly a person in the world who has never put a plate with a golden rim into the stove, has not forgotten to remove the fork from a container of food, or has not left the lid of a container with lunch tightly closed. As a result, the microwave “said” its angry “boom” or “trrr”, buzzed and sparkled, but continued to work safely. Therefore, the question of whether it is possible to turn on an empty microwave oven is not a topical issue for many at all. Such treatment of her does not carry the danger of an instant breakdown, it is rather her slow but sure "kill".
How a microwave oven works
To understand why you can't turn on an empty microwave, you need to understand exactly how it works. Food in the microwave is not heated in the usual way for a person - by raising the temperature of the products through the use of traditional heat sources - a gas burner or an electric heating element. Microwaves are used, which affect the water molecules in the product placed in the oven. It is they“accelerate” these tiny particles, which, in turn, hit each other and heat up. This raises the temperature of the dish.
A special coating is applied to the surface of the working chamber of the microwave oven, which reflects microwaves. Because of this, they do not penetrate from the outside and focus their action on the contents of the furnace. Getting on the food put in the microwave, they heat it up. It is believed that if there is nothing in the chamber, the microwaves are simply reflected from the walls of the device and fade away, but is this really so?
Why not?
Yes, indeed, microwaves, having not found a suitable object for heating, quickly fade away, their energy is released and disappears, dissolving in the surrounding space in the same way that darkness dissipates after turning on a light bulb. But some of this energy still affects the microwave oven itself, and not in the best way. Microwaves repeatedly hit the coating of the working chamber of the oven, and gradually destroy it, and at the same time other elements of the device. Mainly the most important part is the magnetron, which produces electromagnetic waves inside the furnace. That is why you can not turn on an empty microwave and let it run idle. This will sooner or later disable the device. It makes little sense to repair the magnetron, because this is the most expensive part in the entire microwave oven, and it should be protected.
And if just a little bit?
We figured out whether it is possible to turn on an empty microwave, but there is another interesting question regarding the rules for operating thistype of household appliances, namely, what is the minimum portion that can be put in the oven. Manufacturers recommend reheating at least 200 g of food at a time. It is also impossible to overdo and load the microwave in full. Too large pieces of food will not heat up properly, so if you need to heat up a large dish, it should be divided into several smaller parts.
But now we are talking about small portions. You should not turn on the microwave with one cutlet or a spoonful of garnish. Food is heated in the microwave due to the water content in it, and the smaller the product in size, the less moisture it contains, because microportions of food dry out when heated. Moreover, there are real precedents when the owners burned their stoves because they turned them on almost empty. For example, with one grain of popcorn or a small bun.
What if you need to microwave a small portion of food?
To avoid food drying out, and also to protect your assistant, if you still need to warm up something small, you need to follow one very simple rule. In the working chamber, in addition to a plate with a dish, you should put a glass of clean water. Thus, microwaves will be evenly distributed between this liquid and the heated product, and will not destroy the device itself. This is a recommendation given by microwave oven manufacturers. Following it, the owners of kitchen appliances will not only save an expensive device, but will not spoil the taste of their favorite dishes during theirheating.
What shouldn't you do with a microwave?
How a microwave oven works is already clear, but for many it is still not clear why anything containing metal cannot be heated in it:
- iron utensils;
- cups and plates with a golden pattern;
- cutlery;
- canned food;
- foil-packed snacks, etc.
The fact is that the waves that the magnetron creates, when they hit the metal in a confined space, contribute to the formation of electrical energy. As a result, sparks and electric arcs appear in the microwave chamber, and this can cause a fire in the appliance.
How to extend the life of household appliances?
First of all, you can not turn on an empty microwave. In addition, for heating food in the microwave, it is better to use only utensils intended for this. You can, of course, do this in simple glass or ceramic containers, but they also become hot when exposed to microwave radiation, which does not happen with special plates and mugs.
It is very important to properly care for your microwave oven. It is strictly forbidden to wash the camera with abrasive products and aggressive "chemistry", because they destroy its surface. It is best to remove dirt immediately after using the oven by wiping it with a damp cloth and soapy water. Plain water with pieces will help get rid of odors.lemon - you need to pour the liquid into a wide and deep bowl, throw in a few slices of lemon and put the plate in the microwave for a few minutes.
Note to experimenters
You can't ignore the recommendations regarding the various experiments people have with the microwave. Experiments with the use of this device are very different. Some of them are quite dangerous. For example, lighting bulbs inside the chamber, boiling water, sterilizing cans, putting pins or chips in the package into the microwave. Other experiments are relatively safe. These include exploding a balloon or "warming up" with oven soap and CDs. Before doing any of these actions, you need to remember that any electrical appliance is not a toy, but a serious household appliance connected to the network, and therefore is relatively flammable and requires special care and attention.
