Physics of Microwaves Microwaves are used in our daily lives, but most people do not realize that physics plays a large and important role in a simple household item. Every time we heat our food we are oblivious to the forces that cause this to happen and we do not fully understand what is happening before our eyes and how our food is actually heated in such a simple and efficient way. The First Thing People need to understand that microwaves are actually electromagnetic waves. Wavelengths and frequencies range from 300 MHz up to 300 GHz, but the average home or restaurant microwave operates at frequencies of about 2.45 GHz. Microwaves are made of a waveguide, a magnetron, a fan, a power supply and a turntable with the base plate. These items help create the magical ability to heat our food, and each serves a different purpose. The magnetrons are the ones that create the waves and power the waveguide in the firing chamber. Most microwaves are created in a cuboid shape and create a chamber with metal walls and therefore act like a Faraday cage which is an enclosure created from conductive material. Metal grills also cover the front door, which is made of glass, and the lamp holder compartment. Rotating turntables are also found in almost all microwaves and help ensure that food is heated evenly. To achieve the best possible way of reheating meals, the microwave does not use solid-state devices. Instead, electron beams coming from tubes under the combined effect of electric and magnetic fields are made to curve and follow trajectories. Magnetrons are also mainly used in microwave ovens and this has changed everything. In 1921 it was discovered and put into use for the first time and as the years went by... in the middle of the paper... the wave waves actually reflect off the metal. This can be especially bad if you have a metal container, as the food won't be able to heat up because the metal reflects all the microwaves and leaves the food cold. The biggest problem is that there is a possibility that microwaves could be rejected at the magnetron, which can cause permanent damage to it. Despite some negative aspects of using a microwave oven, there are no drastic ones that will cause you to stop using it. The microwave has become a staple for every American home and allows people to feed their family on a daily basis and, all thanks to physics, helps feed millions of people in the United States. Now that you have acquired all this knowledge, perhaps you will enjoy physics more and think about how it affects your microwave every time you decide to reheat cold pizza.