Question

What are the applications of microwaves?

Answer 1

Hint: The type of electromagnetic radiation that ranges between 300 MHz to 300GHz is known as the microwave. They fall in-between the infra-red and radio waves in electromagnetic radiation.

Complete step by step answer:
Some applications are as follows:
1. The microwaves are the electromagnetic waves having frequencies in the range 300 MHz to 300GHz. Microwaves heat an object on which they are incident. This property is used in electrical appliances such as a microwave oven.
2. Microwave ovens are used for cooking.
3. Microwaves are also used in drying materials and households for the preparation of food.
4. Microwaves obey the laws of reflection and refraction. These properties of microwaves are used in the communication system.
5. Microwaves are widely used in modern technology such as point to point communication links, wireless networks, and microwave radio relay networks.
6. Microwaves are used for the transmission of TV signals.
7. They are used for long-distance telephone communication.
8. Mobile phones use microwaves, as they can be generated by a small antenna, which means that the phone does not need to be very big.
9. Microwaves are used in radar systems for the location of distant objects like ships, airplanes, etc and also in navigational applications.
10. Microwaves are used in the study of atomic and molecular structure.
11. Microwaves are also used in medical treatments.
Additional information:
1. Microwaves were discovered by H. Hertz in 1888.
2. Microwaves are produced by oscillator electric circuits containing a capacitor and an insulator.
3. Microwaves can be produced by special vacuum tubes called klystrons, magnetrons, and Gunn diodes.

Note: Like microwaves, radio waves are also produced by the oscillator electric circuits containing an inductor and a capacitor.
The frequency of the waves produced by the circuit depends upon the magnitudes of inductance and capacitance. By choosing suitable values of the inductance and the capacitance, microwaves or radio waves of any desired frequency can be produced.