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Science Projects

Science projects are simple and fun using a microwave oven right from your home. Here are a few examples of projects that junior high and high school students are able to complete at home.

Microwave heating patterns in rounded shaped foods

Objectives:

  • Understand principles of microwave heating
  • Developing simple means to vitalize heating pattern in foods – we selected potato
  • Learn how to measure temperature and simple calibration procedures for temperature measurement
  • Study influence of size on heating patterns – core heating.

The project consists of literature search and study.

  • Develop hypothesis
  • Develop experiment and validation methods
  • Draw conclusions
  • Develop procedures that can be used in high schools as in class project for students

Study field patterns in domestic ovens

Objectives:

  • Understand principles of microwave heating
  • Developing simple means to vitalize 3-D heating pattern in an empty domestic oven – through literature search the teachers selected old fashioned copy paper and crystal sheets
  • Study influence of oven geometry on field patterns – selected three different ovens to map 3D pattern
  • Develop a demonstration method for in class teaching. 

The effect of microwaved water on plant growth

Objectives:

  • Understand principles of microwave heating
  • Developing simple means to validate or debunk a popular microwave-related email forward
  • Study influence of microwave heating
  • Utilize proper reporting methods for scientific experimentation.

A copy of the popular emal forward may be found on the Snopes website at http://www.snopes.com/science/microwave/plants.asp. The email circulates the internet several times a year. The International Microwave Power Institute has received calls from major food companies regarding this email! This relatively simple science experience can be conducted with minimal material investment, and is a fun way to validate or debunk this ongoing debate.