Sir Sidney McSprocket and the Victory Vault – Microwave Oven
Sir Sidney McSprocket takes a trip in the Victory Vault to find his parrot Polly, and discovers how radar technology led to the invention of microwave ovens, helping us heat and eat lots of tasty treats.
Och! Hello! Sir Sidney McSprocket here!
My parrot Polly is still in the Victory Vault. It’s my latest invention, a totally tremendous time machine that can take us to explore incredible inventions.
I’d set the parameters to explore the dark years of the 1940s when we were at war. Come on, we better go and find her!
The cavity magnetron is a bit like a magic whistle for microwaves – electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths shorter than radio waves but longer than infrared waves.
The microwaves are sent spinning super fast inside the magnetron, gaining enough energy to be sent out as signals. Rather nifty wouldn’t you say?!
The idea is that these signals can bounce off objects like aeroplanes and ships and return, a bit like an echo, helping detect an object’s location, speed and distance.
Scanning… Location – Raytheon Company, Massachusetts, USA. Date – 1945. Invention Detected – Microwave Oven.
Microwave ovens
This laboratory is full of microwave equipment – it’s everywhere – presumably for the war effort.
Meet Percy Spencer who invented the microwave by pioneering the radar…
…but something’s not quite right… candy bars keep melting, right in his pocket! I wonder if it’s anything to do with the cavity magnetron and those microwaves?
Could it work with popcorn?
Yes, it worked! Popcorn without a flame or stove. Imagine what this could mean for cooking. Who’d have thought it?!
Percy’s experiments didn’t stop there. He filed a patent and in 1946 the first commercial microwave was launched – the RadaRange. It was a whopping six feet tall, weighed over 750 pounds and cost 5,000 dollars.
It’ll certainly be a game changer. Just think of all those restaurants that want to make a lot of hot meals quickly.
So thanks to technology to detect enemy planes and ships, who would have thought it – we got the microwave oven. All thanks to a melted bar of candy!
Early industrial microwave ovens might have been big and expensive but today microwave ovens are a staple of the kitchen, helping make everything from meal prep to snack time quick and convenient.
Incredible innovation indeed!
Oh… Polly. She’s still in the Victory Vault. I better follow her… but maybe after a wee cuppa tee! Tatty bye for now!
Microwave Detective
Put your snacks to the test with this tasty science experiment! Use the microwave (with an adult!) to explore how different foods react to invisible energy waves. You’ll discover why popcorn pops, and what makes chocolate melt so fast. This experiment is science you can eat! Get started here!
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