How long does microwave energy hang around?
You have probably been warned by your mother: “Wait a few seconds (or minutes) after the beep for all the microwaves to disappear”. There is no scientific basis for such a recommendation. Once the beep has sounded (or the door has opened), it is safe. This is because: • There is no such thing as residual microwave radiation from a microwave oven – it is either being produced or is non-existent. • There is little energy storage in the microwave generator compared to the amount being used. The typical high voltage capacitor – the only component that can store energy – has a capacity of less than 15 W-s (Watt-seconds) even for the largest ovens. Power consumption is typically 800 to 1500 W depending on oven size. Therefore, the capacitor will be fully drained in much less than .1 second – long before the beep has ended or the door has cleared the front panel. (Based on the numbers, above, for a 1500 W oven with a capacitor storing 15 W-s, it is more like .01 seconds!) WARNING: This only a
You have probably been warned by your mother: “Wait a few seconds (or minutes) after the beep for all the microwaves to disappear”. There is no scientific basis for such a recommendation. Once the beep has sounded (or the door has opened), it is safe. This is because: • There is no such thing as residual microwave radiation from a microwave oven – it is either being produced or is non-existent. • There is little energy storage in the microwave generator compared to the amount being used. The typical high voltage capacitor – the only component that can store energy – has a capacity of less than 15 W-s (Watt-seconds) even for the largest ovens. Power consumption is typically 800 to 1,500 W depending on oven size. Therefore, the capacitor will be fully drained in much less than .1 second – long before the beep has ended or the door has cleared the front panel. (Based on the numbers, above, for a 1,500 W oven with a capacitor storing 15 W-s, it is more like .01 seconds!) WARNING: This only
You have probably been warned by your mother: “Wait a few seconds (or minutes) after the beep for all the microwaves to disappear”. There is no scientific basis for such a recommendation. Once the beep has sounded (or the door has opened), it is safe. This is because: 1. There is no such thing as residual microwave radiation from a microwave oven – it is either being produced or is non-existent. 2. There is little energy storage in the microwave generator compared to the amount being used. The typical high voltage capacitor – the only component that can store energy – has a capacity of less than 15 W-s (Watt-seconds) even for the largest ovens. Power consumption is typically 800 to 1500 W depending on oven size. Therefore, the capacitor will be fully drained in much less than .1 second – long before the beep has ended or the door has cleared the front panel. (Based on the numbers, above, for a 1500 W oven with a capacitor storing 15 W-s, it is more like .01 seconds!) WARNING: This only
