Regardless of the parameters and functionality of the devices, you must adhere to the rules of operation and care for them, otherwise they will fail or even break down. Particularly curious owners conduct various experiments with equipment, which is strictly prohibited. So, for example, many people are interested in what happens if you turn on an empty microwave? Is it possible to do this? Everyone knows that the more you forbid, the more you want. Let's consider what this action entails.
When buying any item or equipment, you want to come home as soon as possible and try out the purchase. So, most uninformed buyers bring home a brand new microwave oven, put it on the table, connect it to the electrical power supply and... turn on one of the modes. Everything would be fine, but there is nothing at all in the inner chamber and this is a big mistake! Why, you ask, did nothing happen?
To understand what will happen to the microwave if you turn it on with an empty chamber, you need to familiarize yourself with the principle of its operation.
Operating principle of a microwave oven
A microwave oven operates using electromagnetic waves. Their length ranges from 1 millimeter to 1 meter. Microwaves alone are not enough to heat food; additional molecules are needed, which are a component of all products. One end of the molecule is positively charged, and at the other end there is a negative electrical charge.
Each particle of the product contains a large number of dipole molecules, which move randomly without an electric field. With the appearance of an electric field, all molecules with a positive charge line up in one direction, and those with a negative charge in the other. As soon as the electric field changes its direction (this happens due to the rotating plate), the molecules immediately turn 180 degrees. Thus, they change polarity 4,900,000,000 times per second, and at the same time rub against each other. As a result, heat is released, with the help of which our food is heated.
Microwave oven device
The inner chamber of a microwave oven is made of metal so that it reflects microwaves to the food.
What happens if you turn on a microwave with an empty chamber?
For modern people, the microwave oven has become an indispensable household appliance. With its help you can reheat ready-made food, cook something or defrost it. But there are curious experimenters who wonder what will happen if you turn on an empty microwave.
Is it possible to turn on an empty microwave?
An empty microwave oven cannot be turned on. A microwave oven operating in any mode emits magnetic waves that are absorbed by food. If there is no product in it, then events will develop like this:
- Microwaves, not encountering an obstacle (product) on their way, are reflected from the bottom, hit the walls and move endlessly.
- This process will continue until the timer goes off.
The longer the device operates without the product, the more damage the accumulated energy will cause to the entire device.
Why turn on an empty oven?
Often curious people turn on an empty microwave - they are just wondering what will happen to it. Or, if it is heavily soiled from the inside, apply lemon juice to the walls of the chamber and turn it on for 1 minute at low power. The dirt comes off instantly.
Effect of a microwave on with an empty chamber
The operating principle of a microwave oven is as follows. The electromagnetic waves emitted by the magnetron affect water molecules.
However, the product is heated from the inside, and not from above, as, for example, when cooking in an oven.
The inside of the microwave oven is covered with either ceramics or enamel. This is done to ensure that the waves are correctly reflected from the walls of the chamber and hit the food directly.
To operate the device
If you frequently turn on the microwave oven without food or with food weighing less than 200 g, the magnetron will fail and the household appliance will no longer be able to be repaired.
Turning on an empty microwave: to be or not to be
So we have come close to the question: is it possible to turn on an empty microwave oven? To say “you can’t” is to say nothing; you need proof.
So, when a microwave oven is turned on, regardless of the selected function, it produces microwaves that must be absorbed. And since a microwave is a household kitchen appliance, foods should absorb the waves: vegetables, fruits, ready-made dishes. What happens when working with an empty camera?
When the generated microwaves do not encounter any obstacles in their path, they continue to move forward and are reflected from the inner metal walls of the chamber. This process continues until the timer goes off and the device turns off. Nothing is visible to the naked eye: the microwave does not spark, does not crack, does not shoot, but... The concentrated radiation energy adversely affects the main parts of the microwave oven and the magnetron in particular, which will eventually lead to breakdown of the device. And if the magnetron breaks, then there is no point in repairing the microwave oven, since this part costs a little less than the device itself. Then it’s better to buy a new microwave.
Burnt mica plate of microwave oven
To check the device’s functionality, you can place a regular glass of water to heat it up.
There is also a minimum weight of products, which is 200 grams. Therefore, you cannot warm up, for example, one pie or make one hot sandwich. The weight and volume of these products is not enough to absorb all electromagnetic waves, some of which will be reflected from the walls of the device, which will damage it.
Is it possible to turn on an empty microwave?
As a rule, each microwave manufacturer's instruction manual lists all the functional features of the device. However, what if you need to test the operating ability of the device, but there are no special instructions? Is it possible to turn on an empty microwave? Let’s try to figure out this and other questions using basic information about the method of operation of microwaves.
On what principle does a microwave oven work?
Any microwave oven is created from basic elements: a magnetron, an emitter, a fan and a chamber. It is the question of the camera that worries the buyer most of all. It should be remembered that, regardless of the cost and brand of the device, the chamber heating the products is always made of iron sheets.
It is believed that only a metal surface has an excellent ability to reflect microwaves, which contributes to their distribution throughout the entire volume of the working compartment. The only difference in the devices lies only in the internal coating, most often it is enameled or ceramic.
When the user presses the start button, magnetic waves of varying lengths begin to be emitted from the magnetron. Being in the enclosed space of the chamber and reflecting from internal surfaces, the waves travel at different angles through the products. In this case, the heating of the products is not carried out under the influence of the microwaves themselves.
Interesting! Food in the microwave is heated at the molecular level.
Any material particle consists of molecules. And the molecule contains positively and negatively charged particles. When passing through a material obstacle, waves begin to create an electric field and place positively and negatively charged particles separately.
When the food dish is rotated inside the chamber, the waves travel through the matter in different directions and the particles have to rearrange themselves anew.
Interesting! When the simple heating mode is turned on, the polarity changes at a speed of 5 billion per second.
From the constant change of poles, friction among the molecules begins, providing a heating effect. For this reason, food in the microwave begins to warm up from the inside.
Why turn on an empty microwave?
Of course, no one would intentionally plug in an empty microwave. Usually this can happen either due to an accidental oversight, or to check its functionality immediately after purchase.
It is noteworthy that even the presence of food in the heating chamber can protect the device from undesirable consequences. It is important to pay attention to the volume of the dish being heated.
A small sandwich, a piece of sausage or tomato - small amounts of food that the user wants to heat up slowly begin to cause the device to malfunction. In such cases, operating a microwave oven is equivalent to operating with an empty chamber, because a significant part of the waves is not absorbed.
Attention! The weight of the heated products should not be less than 200 g.
To avoid damage to the device, just follow these simple recommendations:
- A regular glass of water placed in the microwave chamber will protect you from the consequences of an accidental connection.
- When heating a small amount of food, you can add a container of liquid to the plate of food.
- Water can prevent the food being heated from drying out or splashing.
Thanks to one glass of water, you can keep the device working for a long time.
Turning on the microwave with an empty chamber
There is an opinion that, working in vain and not finding obstacles, magnetic waves will gradually fade away. However, in reality this is not the case. A small portion of product after heating in the microwave may simply go bad - dry out or rupture.
Turning on a completely empty microwave chamber can lead to more serious consequences.
How does turning on an empty microwave affect the operation of the device?
While the timer is running, the magnetron releases waves that are reflected from the internal surfaces of the device. However, when heated according to the rules, the waves will be absorbed by the products, and in an unfilled container they will hit the walls, which over time will lead to damage to the coatings.
Is microwave radiation dangerous?
Microwave radiation is completely safe. The main thing is to operate the device according to the attached instructions. Thanks to the tightly closed door and blocking system, it is impossible for rays to penetrate outside. And if microwaves leave the oven chamber, they quickly fade out in the atmosphere, so they do no harm (for more details, see the article about the dangers of microwaves: truth or myth?
The only way microwaves can be dangerous is if you grab a hot plate with your bare hand and get burned.
Is it possible to overheat water
The fact is that heating water in the usual way is different from heating it in the microwave. If you boil a liquid on the stove, heating occurs from below, and we see air bubbles rising. When heating water using microwaves, this does not happen, because it warms up from all sides and can overheat.
When taking out a glass of water, you need to be extremely careful: even the slightest push can cause the water to instantly boil and pour boiling water out of the container.
Why you can't turn on an empty microwave
A microwave has become a necessity in the kitchen, since the pace of life of a modern person is very fast. Not everyone knows the rules for using this equipment. It seems that everything is elementary, but there are some nuances that must be observed for long-term operation of the device. For example, it is important to understand the question of why you should not turn on an empty microwave oven.
Is it possible to turn on a microwave oven without food?
The principle of operation of the furnace is that electromagnetic waves act on water molecules, causing them to move. As a result, food is heated from the inside, rather than from the outside, as happens when baking in a conventional oven. The metal chamber is covered with enamel or ceramic in order to reflect waves from the surface and direct them to the dish.
Under no circumstances should you turn on the microwave without food. It produces radiation that must be absorbed by them. If it is empty, then the waves continue to move, hit the walls of the chamber, are reflected from them, and the process repeats endlessly. This leads to breakdown of the device, which will stop working only after the timer clicks.
At the same time, it is difficult to notice any strange processes occurring inside the equipment from the outside. There is no hissing, sparking, smoke or any strange sounds. But a lot of energy accumulates inside the chamber, which negatively affects the furnace parts.
If the magnetron fails, then you can go for a new device, since the part is expensive and there is no point in buying it.
If you have doubts about the serviceability of the oven, you can put a glass of water in it. If the liquid becomes warm, then everything is in order. A portion of food that should be heated in the microwave should not be less than 0.2 kg. If you constantly put a small sandwich or bun there, the equipment can quickly break down. A large number of waves are formed, they are not absorbed by the food, are reflected from the walls and cause damage to the microwave.
Many people find it fun to experiment with the oven: heat food with the door open, put a phone in it, and perform other tricks to attract subscribers to a channel or blog. This can only be done if the person is ready to be left without a microwave in the house.
You cannot turn on a microwave oven without food, as this will lead to failure of the device. It’s better not to experiment, otherwise you may be left without useful and necessary equipment in the house.
