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Don't put metal objects in the microwave' is common safety advice. But why? Here we describe demonstration experiments involving placing household metallic objects in a microwave oven. These allow a better understanding of the interaction of microwaves with materials. Light bulbs and discharge lamps can also be used in instructive demonstrations.
Microwave ovens can be used to perform exciting demonstrations that illustrate a variety of physics topics. Experiments discussed here show superheating, visualize the inhomogeneous heating that takes place in a microwave and also show how to use a mobile phone to detect radiation leaking from the oven. Finally eggs can give some spectacular (though messy) explosions. In all cases please note the safety advice given.
This article forms the second of two papers on the subject of microwave cookers. In the first paper Michael Vollmer describes the physics behind the production of microwaves in the magnetron of the oven, the waveguide and the interaction between the microwaves and the food. This article looks at the physics of cooking, and how the appliance and the food industries have developed products which are now part of many of our students' lifestyles. We include many interesting demonstrations that illustrate this history and which could be used to teach many principles of physics.
This is the first of two articles about the physics of microwave ovens. This article deals with the generation of microwaves in the oven and includes the operation of the magnetrons, waveguides and standing waves in resonant cavities. It then considers the absorption of microwaves by foods, discussing the dielectric relaxation of water, penetration depths of electromagnetic waves in matter and, in considering the possible chemical changes during the microwave heating, multi-photon ionization or dissociation.
An inquiry among national experts on physics education research and teaching has been carried out using a questionnaire that deals with the organization of physics teacher training and the main tasks and research activities of professionals in physics education. The goal was to collect data on a European scale on physics teacher training at universities by professionals as well as on research activities by professionals in the field of physics education. Results are presented based on answers from 22 European countries.
Max Planck legte 1900 mit dem nach ihm benannten Strahlungsgesetz das quantitative Fundament zu so genannten Wärmebildsystemen. 100 Jahre später gibt es — mit bedingt durch Fortschritte in der Halbleitertechnologie und Mikrosystemtechnik — Infrarotkameras, mit denen sowohl die von Planck untersuchten Strahlungsgesetze zur Hohlraumstrahlung als auch allgemein wissenschaftliche und technische Anwendungen der Temperaturstrahlung von Körpern untersucht werden können. Darüber hinaus bieten sich solche Systeme auch für didaktische Zwecke an, da physikalische Gesetzmäßigkeiten mit Energieaustauschprozesssen aus sehr vielen Gebieten der Physik durch eine etwas andere, physikalische Sehweise visualisiert und damit für Lehrzwecke eingesetzt werden können.
Das ist ein seltsam wunderbares Zeichen! Ein Streifzug durch die Kulturgeschichte des Regenbogens
(2000)
Gespiegelt in besondern Düften …: Oasen, Seeungeheuer und weitere Spielereien der Fata Morgana
(1998)
„Wer die Natur liebt, der braucht das Beobachten ihrer Erscheinungen wie die Luft zum Atmen.” — So formulierte Marcel Minnaert das Bedürfnis der Naturbeobachtung im Vorwort seines berühmten Buchs „Licht und Farbe in der Natur” [1]. Bekannte Beispiele für Naturerscheinungen in der Atmosphäre sind Luftspiegelungen, Regenbögen und Halos. Diese optischen Phänomene bieten nicht nur faszinierende Anblicke, sondern beinhalten auch genügend Aspekte für eine interessante Physik (z. B. [2]). — Der vorliegende Artikel geht von grundlegenden physikalischen Betrachtungen aus und zeigt, daß sich alle Phänomene atmosphärischer Optik übersichtlich klassifizieren lassen. Luftspiegelungen werden exemplarisch im Detail behandelt. Viele nützliche Informationen findet man in Standardwerken [1, 3–5]; den aktuellen Stand der Forschung in Konferenzberichten, z. B. [6].
Twice in a blue moon
(2009)
The surface to volume ratio in thermal physics: from cheese cube physics to animal metabolism
(2008)
Measurements of illuminance during a solar eclipse are presented. The data are compared to theoretical predictions, based on a geometrical model for obscuration. The model assumes a straight and uniform motion of the sun and moon as well as a spherical shape of both, i.e. it neglects any effects of limb darkening. Furthermore, the sun's disk is assumed to have homogeneous luminosity, i.e. any luminosity variations due to sun spots are neglected. Input parameters are the duration of the eclipse, the duration of totality, the impact parameter, i.e. the distance between the two trajectories of sun and moon, and the sizes of sun and moon. The model applies to all types of eclipses, partial, annular and total.
A geometric model for the optical air mass of the atmosphere is developed. Using the model, simple formulae are derived for the optical thickness of light passing through (1) a molecular atmosphere, (2) an atmosphere with uniformly distributed tropospheric aerosols and (3) atmospheres with elevated aerosol layers. The formulae are used to model the spectra and perceived colours of the Sun and Moon.
Porträts von Naturwissenschaftlern und sachliche Darstellungen aus der Physik finden sich in zahlreichen Bereichen des täglichen Lebens, insbesondere auch auf vielen Banknoten. Die Auswahl -- vorgegeben durch die politisch inspirierte Motivwahl der Notenbanken -- stellt eine interessante Reise durch die Wissenschaftsgeschichte dar.
Strahlungsgesetz und Augenempfindlichkeit: Bemerkungen zu einer klassischen Fehlinterpretation
(2001)
A procedure to experimentally simulate pollen coronas is discussed. Observed coronas are due to pine and birch pollen having different geometries. Using computer simulations, two-dimensional projections of a large number of pollenlike objects with adjustable shapes, with or without preferential orientation and statistical or regular spatial distribution, are generated. The photograph of the printout allows samples with typical sizes between 20 and 200 µm. Their diffraction patterns can closely resemble the ones observed in nature and predicted by theory.
© 2005 Optical Society of America
Thermography of Microsystems
(2004)
Some laboratory demonstrations on atmospheric optics are presented. The focus is on dispersion effects in mirages, lateral mirages, and inferior mirages produced with small hot plates. We also show a demonstration of the upper-tangent-arc halo, produced with a hexagonal prism, rotating about two axes.
© 2003 Optical Society of America
Old and new laboratory experiments on atmospheric optics with a focus on mirages, rainbows, and halos are presented. Some qualitative demonstrations serve primarily didactical purposes, e.g., by proving the existence of curved light rays in media with a gradient of the index of refraction, by directly visualizing the minimum-deviation curve for rainbow paths in water droplets, or by helping to elucidate the ray classes in hexagons that contribute to a specific halo. In addition, quantitative experiments allow a direct comparison of angular positions and intensities with analytical computations or Monte Carlo simulations of light scattering from small water droplets or ice hexagons. In particular, the latter can help us to understand complex halo phenomena.
© 1998 Optical Society of America
Small sodium and silver particles were generated on dielectric substrates like LiF, quartz and sapphire under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. The optical transmission spectra of the clusters were measured as a function of cluster size and shape, for low and high substrate temperatures as well as for s- and p- polarization of the incident light. Excitation of dipolar surface plasmon oscillations in the directions normal and parallel to the substrate surface could be identified. Furthermore, optical spectra for Na and Ag clusters were calculated with the classical Mie theory. The measured spectra vary strongly if the experimental conditions are changed and can be exploited, for example, to characterize the particles with regard to their size and shape. In particular, the axial ratio of the spheroidal clusters could be determined. Its value is considerably different for the two investigated metals and depends on the substrate material. Furthermore, the temperature of the substrate has a pronounced influence on the shape of the particles. At low temperature of T=100 K two-dimensional island growth is predominant. The particles extend only little in the direction perpendicular to the surface and coalesce readily at small coverage of metal atoms. In contrast, the clusters are truly three-dimensional at T=300 K. At this stage, sodium particles still exhibit a rather small axial ratio whereas silver clusters appear almost spherical. Thus, measurements of the optical spectra permit direct in situ monitoring of cluster growth during the nucleation of adsorbed atoms and of temperature induced shape variations. In addition to investigations of the shape of the particles, the quadrupolar surface plasmon mode was observed for Ag clusters.
Width of cluster plasmon resonances: Bulk dielectric functions and chemical interface damping
(1993)
The damping of collective electron resonances in clusters which develop into plasmon polaritons at larger sizes is investigated for free, supported, and embedded neutral metal clusters. Embedding of free 2 nm Ag clusters of 2-nm diameter into a SiO2 matrix leads to an increase of the width of the resonances by more than a factor of 3. The optical spectra are compared with the Mie theory using size-effect-modified dielectric functions of the solid state. The results corroborate the assumption that the widths of the resonances strongly depend on chemical interface effects. The results are briefly discussed with regard to limited-mean-free-path and quantum-size-effect theories and a recent approach by Persson. It is demonstrated that the widths of the spectra of supported and embedded clusters have to be interpreted with care since true intrinsic size effects of the clusters appear to be less effective than previously believed and can be obscured by the chemical interface damping.
© 1993 The American Physical Society
Laser-induced desorption of metal atoms from the surface of small metal particles has been investigated as a function of the shape of the particles and the polarization of the incident laser light. The particles were supported on LiF, quartz or sapphire substrates. In a first set of experiments, the shape of the particles was determined by recording optical transmission spectra with s- and p-polarized light incident under an angle of typically 40° with respect to the surface normal. The metal particles turn out to be oblate, the ratio of the axes perpendicular and parallel to the substrate surface being on the order of 0.5. This ratio decreases with increasing particle size. Also, the particles change shape if the temperature is raised. In further experiments, s- and p-polarized light has been used to stimulate desorption of atoms via surface plasmon excitation. It is found that the desorption rate markedly depends on the polarization of the light. This is explained by excitation of the collective electron oscillation along different axes of the non-spherical particles.
Results on laser-induced desorption of metal atoms from small metal particles are presented. Experiments have been performed on sodium, potassium, and silver particles supported on a LiF(100) single-crystal surface under ultrahigh vacuum conditions. Measurements include the determination of the desorption rate as a function of laser wavelength, laser intensity, average particle size, and substrate temperature, the determination of the kinetic energy of the desorbed atoms, the investigation of the optical spectra of the supported metal particles, and the study of the influence of adsorbate molecules on the desorption rate. Furthermore, theoretical extinction and absorption spectra of the metal particles have been calculated with the classical electrodynamical Mie theory as a function of average particle size and excitation wavelength. Also, the radial electric field at the particle surface was computed. The results of the experiments and theoretical calculations are combined to give a consistent picture of the mechanism of metal-atom desorption by electronic excitation with laser light. A realistic surface potential from which the atoms escape and nonlocal optical effects are taken into account. The latter introduce additional absorption channels by the formation of electron-hole pairs in the surface layer of the particle which relax into antibonding states before desorption occurs. Finally, the mechanism is discussed in the light of similar phenomena observed for thin metal films. Possibilities for future work are outlined.
© 1993 The American Physical Society
Studies of the evolution of the optical properties of metal clusters as a function of size have gained considerable attention in the last few years. One theoretical approach starts from large metal clusters, which can be described by classical electrodynamics, provided the dielectric functions of the clusters are known. the resulting resonant features in the absorption spectra are commonly called surface plasmons and are collective excitations of the electron system.The present paper discusses the electrodynamic (Mie) theory for large clusters of different metals, also considering the range of validity of this approach towards smaller cluster sizes. More details can be found in an extended review on this topic which is to be published soon [1].