The Interesting History Of Microwave Ovens

The Interesting History Of Microwave Ovens

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The interesting history of microwave ovens crews out the fact that many things that we benefit from our usually the byproduct of a search for other things that we hope to benefit from. In this case, the microwave oven stands as an outstanding example. It can credit its origins and birth to the efforts carried out by defense scientists and contractors in World War II to improve radar.



Back then; this early detection system -- which had been developed by the British -- was in need of refinement and improvement. Scientists in America and England had been working to create systems that would increase the range and effectiveness of radar beams. Eventually, the magnetron -- which emitted electromagnetic radiation or microwaves -- was created, and it worked beautifully.



Scientists continued work on improving the magnetron itself and the way in which it focused microwaves for the next several years. By accident, a US scientist working on the magnetron around the year 1945 happened to take note that whenever the magnetron was focused his way the candy bar he had been carrying in his shirt pocket began to melt. This naturally was a curiosity to the scientist.



Percy Spencer -- who was, in fact, the scientist who had noted this effect -- decided to focus the magnetron beam on other foods. Starting small, he placed several kernels of corn in front of the beam and stood back. Fairly rapidly, the kernels popped and Spencer was even more intrigued. He and a colleague, who happened to be standing close to the magnetron, tried an egg. It burst, of course, all over the colleague's face.



Other company engineers had taken note of this surprising use for the magnetron and began working on ways to incorporate it into an oven that could heat up food. By 1947 they had produced a unit that weighed about three quarters of the ton, was nearly 6 feet tall and cost about $5000. They named it the 'Radarange.' It was fairly inefficient and required a constant feed of water to cool it off.



About 1954, engineers had finally succeeded in producing an oven that was ready for commercial use. Licensing the technology to the Tappan Stove Company, the oven that was marketed cost nearly $3000. Soon after, a slimmed down model that used readily available 220 volt home outlets came to be. The retail price, though, was nearly $1300. Because of that, sales were still poor.



In 1967, great strides were made and a model that bears many of the same hallmarks of today's microwave ovens was produced. It, too, was named the 'Radarange, ' and was sold by the Amana Company, which still exists in certain forms today. It sold for nearly $500 and was a light weight, compact unit that was an instant hit. Within a decade, prices had declined steeply and microwaves were ubiquitous.



Today, there's pretty much no home or restaurant of one sort or another that doesn't have a microwave. Additionally, it's a fairly certain that that just about everyone on the planet has heard of the term 'microwave ovens' and knows what that means. However, they might not know that the oven owes its birth to radar and the efforts to improve it in World War II.

About the Author:
Annie is an expert furniture and interior design writer. Her current area of specialism is dining furniture sale, mattress sale and chair sale.



Article Originally Published On: http://www.articlesnatch.com


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