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Re: microwave, RF heating



At 06:30 PM 5/28/00 -0700, John Barrer wrote:
I assumed JD's observation/comment described an expt
where equal masses of oil and water were
simultaneously exposed to MW radiation. That might be
an interesting test?

Indeed I used the simultaneous-exposure technique.

Key fact: The oven puts out constant power, to a reasonable approximation.

Therefore if you put things in one at a time, you are not measuring their
absorptive properties; all you are measuring is their heat capacity -- not
even the (intensive) specific heat but the (extensive) heat capacity.

Also if you manage to find something that doesn't absorb microwaves very
well, you might hurt the oven (depending on details that vary from model to
model). For similar physical reasons, you can shatter a dish that under
normal circumstances would be "microwave safe" by putting it (alone and
empty) into the oven. Guess how I know. If you're going to do experiments
like this, always include a reasonable amount of a known absorber.