The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

(Nandana) #1

food when heating it. Just like light or heat, microwaves are
a form of electromagnetic radiation. When microwaves are
aimed at an object with magnetically charged particles (like,
say, the water in a piece of food), those particles rapidly flip
back and forth, creating friction, which, in turn, creates heat.
Microwaves can pass through most solid objects to a depth
of at least a few centimeters or so. This is why microwaves
are a particularly fast way to heat up foods—you don’t need
to wait for the relatively slow transfer of energy from the
exterior to the center.
Phew! Enough with the science lesson already, right?
Bear with me. Things are about to get a lot more fun!


EXPERIMENT:


Temperature Versus Energy in


Action


The difference  between the definition  of  temperature
and the definition of energy is subtle but
extraordinarily important. This experiment will
demonstrate how understanding the difference can
help shape your cooking.

Materials


  • 1 properly calibrated oven

  • 1 able-bodied subject with external sensory
    apparatus in full working order

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