🚀 go-pugleaf

>>>>> On Tue, 31 Mar 92 14:58:34 GMT, dj@ssd.kodak.com (Dave Jones) said:

Kenneth Tolman and others:
>>>How does a microwave oven make the microwaves?
>>
>>A magnetron tube.  Emits EMR in the specific microwave range to excite
>
>Well...  I am curious as well.  Exactly HOW does it emit the proper EMR?
>(electro magnetic radiation, I assume)
>
>Some sort of induced excitation/relaxation like in a laser?  What is a 
>magnetron tube?  What elements/molecules are at work in what ways?

It is an induced radiation, but not like a laser. Purely classical
physics here.

Dave> [ Describes shape of magnetron]

Dave> What happens then I'm not able to explain in detail, but
Dave> basically the ...

A magnetron (or a klystron) is a device that converts the kinetic
energy of an electron beam into electromagnetic wave energy. They
have many applications (radio, radar, particle accelerators, ...).

Short explanation - accelerated charges radiate. :) 

Longer explanation: I'm too tired right now. This is a lousy medium
for explaining physics anyway. It is a complicated problem. I don't
know of any E&M texts that deal with this.  Among other things, you
have to include the image charges on the walls of the cavity to get
the right answer. What you have is an electron beam interacting
with a system of coupled E&M oscillators.  I would suggest going to
the library (as someone else did). Check out the Science and
Technology encyclopedia or the Radio Engineers Handbook and ref.
therein.

Adios,

-John

--
john_palkovic@ssc.gov
I joined the League for Programming Freedom -- send mail to john@phc.org
The SSC, the DOE, and the URA are not my mother.