A physics & microwave wondering-ment.

[MSIC]

I really need to ask this question as it pops into my mind every once in a while and it's never been answered from what i can remember...

If i put a potato of normal size into a microwave and it takes 5 minutes to cook, will 2 potatoes (simultaneously) take 10 minutes or 5?

Thanks

[MadduckUK]

somewhere in between

/thread

[chicken]

If you double the quantity of food you should increase the time by 1.5 times the previous amount. So 7.5 mins.


/Currys microwave training guide

[fatbears]

Oh right well whenever i doubled the quantity of food i always did the same amount of time, and it always tasted right to me!

[DataMatrix]

Don't use a microwave, rub them together fast and use friction

[fatbears]

Don't use a microwave, rub them together fast and use friction

Yeah...i might try this next time, or get my sisters little kid to try it out!

[Stewart]

Why though? If there is enough space in t'microwave for the 2nd potato?

Explinations people, not just answers.

[Oobie-]

Its to do with the volume inside the microwave that needs to be cooked. Half as many of the microwaves that are emitted are being absorbed into 1 object, so in effect there are less being concentrated onto one object, so it WOULD need double the time in theory.

Thats how I understand it.

[kalniel]

Unless the efficiency as a whole goes up as you increase the size/mass of what you're microwaving.. Then despite the fact you need twice the energy to achieve the same level of excitment, a higher proportion of energy is going into your food rather than being bounced around. (Not terribly likely, microwaves are already incredibly efficient.)

[chicken]

I think it's just a matter of excess energy already being there for the 2nd item.

It was a Samsung-made microwave training pack I read it in, it didn't really explain it, just stated that doubling the food meant add half the time on again, not doubling the time.

It must be true, it's mentioned Here and they even use the word "Doneness" so you can tell they're good!

[Lucio]

It's probably something to do with the inverse square law and the fact food rotates

[Stoo]

It would make sense to double the time if there were only enough microwaves generated for the item in question, but as there are always a fair bit more, you don't need to double it