What Materials Were Used to Invent the Microwave Oven?

Magnetron

• A magnetron was the key player in the invention of the microwave. Magnetrons are vacuum tubes in which both magnetic and electric fields exist. These fields sweep over one another, creating what is known as a crossed field. The energy generated by the magnetic field of a magnetron causes electrons of the electric field to oscillate within the magnetron. This oscillation produces electromagnetic radiation, or microwaves, which is the output of the magnetron. These electromagnetic waves have the ability to produce extreme heat very rapidly when confined to a hermetical environment, such as a metal box.

Food

• Percy accidentally discovered the heating power of the magnetron's output through food. While testing a magnetron, Percy discovered that a chocolate bar he carried in his pocket had melted. To test whether or not the magnetron was to blame for the demise of his confection, the scientist placed popcorn kernels before the vacuum tube and the popcorn popped. The third phase of Percy's experimentation involved an egg, which ended up cooked and on the face of one of the doctor's curious colleague. Thus food was instrumental in the invention of the microwave.

Metal Box

• Having discovered the potential of the magnetron to cook food, it was upon Percy to harness this energy in such a way that would lead to the invention of the commercial microwave. In order to harness the power of the magnetron, Percy created a metal box into which the electromagnetic radiation could be fed and within which that energy could be contained. This box served as proto microwave. Through his experiments with cooking food in the metal box, Percy was able to discover how the microwaves of the magnetron heat food; the microwaves interact with the water molecules in food, causing them to move rapidly and heat quickly. This knowledge led to the invention of the commercial microwaves.

Circuits

• When it came to assembling commercial microwaves, a high voltage power source was necessary to fuel the magnetron. Thus, electronic circuits figured into the invention of the modern microwave. Electronic circuits generate power by serving as a bridge between negatively charged electrons and positively charged atoms. When traveling such on such a bridge toward an atom, electrons move very quickly. This rapid movement creates sustained energy. Circuits harness this energy and feed it to a source. In the case of the microwave, this source is the magnetron.