Are microwave waves radioactive? Myths and truths about how microwaves work. 

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Myths and truths about waves of microwaves

Microwaves are one of the most widely used appliances on the planet. Its capacity to quickly heat practically any food has saved many people’s lunches. However, there are numerous rumours concerning how it operates and whether or not its waves are hazardous to one’s health. 

Microwaves, as the name implies, are high-frequency electromagnetic waves similar to those produced by a cell phone, cable television, or radio. Laia Badal, the head of the Alica Foundation’s Development and Innovation Area, explains on the Larousse Editorial YouTube channel that “Microwaves are not the same as ovens in terms of how they work.” 

Polar molecules are affected by microwave waves. The positive and negative systems of the magnet that generates microwaves are changed to align these. “The heat generated by the action is transferred to other molecules in the food, such as water, fats, and sugars.” 

The microwave is simple to use, but there are many misconceptions about it, so we’ll debunk some of them. 

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  1. 1) Do your waves endanger your health? FALSE

This is possibly one of the most frequently asked questions about microwaves. However, as the appliance maker TEKA explains, the answer is no, because its waves are the same as those found on mobile phones or in the sun, despite the fact that it uses electromagnetic radiation. Ionizers are waves that are harmful to the body. 

Another prevalent claim about this device is that it might cause cancer if used for lengthy periods of time. This is also erroneous, since the US National Cancer Institute states, “it has been established that most types of non-ionizing radiation do not induce cancer, because it lacks sufficient energy.” 

2) Nutrient loss when food is consumed. FALSE 

This notion is also false, because food particles just shake and produce heat, not decompose, as Laia Badal said. Because vitamin C is a very volatile vitamin, it is lost during the heating process.

3) Microwaves can result in burns. TRUE 

“The problem with microwaves is that the waves go out because they could cause us to act like food, heat our tissues, and burn us,” Badal adds. As a result, having a microwave in excellent working order is critical. 

On the other hand, we risk burning ourselves when removing a container from a hot appliance’s inside. It is one of the device’s major hazards, according to the WHO. 

4) If a cell phone calls within it, it leaks. FALSE 

It is stated that if you put a phone inside a microwave and close it without turning it on, the phone will ring, indicating that the gadget is leaking. This myth is untrue, according to Claudi Mans Teixidó, a chemical engineer. “Microwaves and telephone waves are similar, but they are not the same. As a result, the mobile’s waves can pass through the door’s barrier and be heard, but at a reduced volume. It’s the same as putting your phone in a pressure cooker that’s been covered. ” 

5) Microwave cooking isn’t always consistent. TRUE 

This is a true misconception, because cooking is dependent on the food’s content. The notion that microwaves cook food from the inside out, on the other hand, must be refuted. “When we cook sardines in a frying pan, the heat is evenly distributed throughout the fish since it is in direct contact with the fire,” Laia Badal explains, “but in the microwave, the energy can act faster in particular sections of the food depending on its composition.”