Why do microwaves change directions

Microwave radiation causes water molecules go nuts, but the air itself isn't directly heated because its molecules aren't as polar as the molecules that make up water. Polarity also explains why many plastics, glasses and ceramics are considered "microwave safe"—their molecules in these substances aren't very polar, so they aren't as disturbed by the magnetic fields shifting. What happens to the soap? Why do you think this might occur? Use caution, as it may be hot. Does this soap react differently than the first one?

Why do you think this might be? Which is heavier? If one is heavier than the other, what do you think accounts for this difference, besides size? Do you think this might help to explain what we saw when we "cooked" the soap bars in the microwave? Observations and results The Ivory soap should have produced an impressive amount of foam compared with the Dial.

Ivory has thousands of tiny air pockets in it—that's why it should have weighed less! These pockets of air expanded when they got hot, creating the soap bubbles that made up our foam. But what caused the air to get so hot in the first place? As we discussed, microwave ovens are pretty bad at heating air. But part of our soap molecules are polar, so the microwave radiation caused these molecules to spin and build up kinetic energy, which created heat. This resulting heat was conducted from the melting soap to the air pockets, causing the pockets to expand and create some impressive foam.

Yes you can. Halve it for diamonds! About the last paragraph; that's why you put your food as far away from the center of the platter as possible. If the turntable is straining, you can often replace the heavy glass with a smaller, lighter plate. I use an 8" Corel, and it runs on the wheels better than the original spinner, which met a dire fate upon hitting the floor at a couple meters per second.

The solution was far cheaper than buying a new microwave, or digging up an old plate somewhere. Erica 8, 9 9 gold badges 58 58 silver badges 87 87 bronze badges.

Badmoonryzn Badmoonryzn 21 1 1 bronze badge. Some models have both the turntable and the rotating reflector. That adds an extra little bit of randomness to the heating process. Sign up or log in Sign up using Google. Sign up using Facebook. Sign up using Email and Password. Post as a guest Name. Email Required, but never shown. Featured on Meta.

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Accept all cookies Customize settings. From the college students living on microwave-everything to the chefs who sometimes just want a quick bite, microwaves are undeniably useful. Part of the functional design is the spinning turntable in the middle. That spin is not just to show off your food as it cooks. So when your microwave plate stops spinning, it can be a real problem. Microwave plates stop spinning for one of four reasons, depending on what your microwave has been through. Before removing any screws or prying any plates in your microwave, remember to pull the power cord.

Never perform appliance repairs with the power connected. A good rule of thumb is that if you have a screwdriver in hand, the appliance cord should be visibly separate from the wall. However, if you are asked to test with a multimeter, the appliance must be plugged in and you should proceed with extreme caution. Consider wearing work gloves which may diffuse some shocks. The first and easiest cause to fix is a track obstruction. The roller guide and coupler spin in a track below your microwave plate.

If crumbs, spills, or other obstructions get in the way of their circular journey, your turntable may stop spinning or experience a bumpy stop-start spin that does not cook the food evenly.

Remove the microwave plate and examine the roller and coupler below. Test how they each spin independently, and if there is any visible food remnants in the way of the spin. Crumbs and sticky spills are the most likely to be a problem. Thoroughly scrub the inside of your microwave, paying special attention to the roller track and the area around the coupler. Scrub around the coupler to get rid of any sticky residue.

Do not soak the coupler, as there are electrical components beneath it. The roller guide is the circular or vaguely triangular object with small wheels that the plate rests on. The wheels must be able to roll smoothly in the track for the plate to turn. Just as obstructions in the track can stop the rotation, so can broken wheels. If the wheels of your roller guide are broken or have become especially dirty, then your plate may have stopped spinning. A broken roller arm can also be a cause of unbalanced and rotation-stopping forces.

Remove the microwave plate and the roller guide below. Closely examine the roller guide for signs of grime or damage. Consider if it is dirty, sticky, or if it has been broken in any way. If it is dirty, wipe down the roller guide with a warm soapy sponge.