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From: jeff@rtech.ARPA (Jeff Lichtman)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: micro-wave oven question
Message-ID: <119@rtech.ARPA>
Date: Wed, 30-Jan-85 03:25:02 EST
Article-I.D.: rtech.119
Posted: Wed Jan 30 03:25:02 1985
Date-Received: Sat, 2-Feb-85 08:34:58 EST
References: <285@imsvax.UUCP>
Organization: Relational Technology, Berkeley CA
Lines: 24

> Usually we, micro-wave oven users are told not to put metal into the oven. Can
> anyone give me the reason? Also inside the micro-wave oven, there is a rack
> which is made of metal. Is it a special kind of metal or has it peculiar
> shape which can bounce the micro-wave around? Thanks in advance!
> 
> -- 
> 
> 		Steve  Cheng
> 
> UUCP:	{umcp-cs!eneevax || seismo!rlgvax!elsie}!imsvax!cheng

Any electrically conductive material will act as an antenna.  Food is a
poor conductor, so it doesn't place much of a load on the oven.  The effect is
like putting a high resistance across a light socket; the resistor will get
hot, but you won't blow a fuse, because the resistor won't draw much current.
Metals are very good conductors, so putting metal in a microwave oven is like
shorting out a light socket; it can burn out the source (if the metal doesn't
burn up first).

I'm not sure how metal racks and other metal microwave accessories work.  It's
possible that the food shields the rack from the source of the microwaves.
-- 
Jeff Lichtman at rtech (Relational Technology, Inc.)
aka Swazoo Koolak