Amazing Microwaves

Most people use or come into contact with microwaves everyday and don't realize it. Microwaves come from supermassive black holes in space, but also from more common things like cell phones and microwave ovens. These are just a few examples, there are many more. Microwaves are a part of the electromagnetic spectrum and are invisible to the human eye. The wavelength of microwaves range from 0.01 to 10 centimeters in length. The frequency of microwaves is anywhere from 3 x 10^9 to 3 x 10^12. Microwaves come from many places, some come from supermassive black holes in space, others come from magnetrons which are what create microwaves in your microwave ovens. Mobile phones create microwaves with a transmitter chip and antennae.

http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/microwave-radiation-ovens-460709

Microwaves can be used for many different things and there is a lot of interesting phenomena related to them. One of the most common uses of microwaves is cooking food. But how do microwave ovens work? Three characteristics that allow microwaves to cook food are: they are reflected by metal; they pass through glass, paper, and plastic; and they are absorbed by food. The microwaves are generated by a magnetron in the oven, then reflected off of the metal interior and pass through the food in the oven. When the water molecules in the food come into contact with the microwaves they begin to vibrate and heat is produced which then cooks the food. Aluminum and other metal pans should not be used in the ovens because it can cause damage.

http://www.educatedearth.net/viewer.php?id=5832&cid=49

Microwaves are also used in mobile phones. The phones have a very small antennae inside which generates the waves which then travel through transmitter towers. This allows you to call people and text very fast. Some microwaves can penetrate through clouds, dust, smoke, rain and snow to show the earths surface. This is why microwaves are used in radars and GPS's. (global positioning devices) Every time you look at your local weather forecast it's because of microwaves. Microwaves also come from supermassive black holes and are involved in a phenomena called The Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation.

So are microwaves dangerous? Prolonged exposure to microwaves is known to cause cataracts in your eyes. Cataracts is a clouding of the lens of your eye which can be very painful and can prevent you from seeing clearly. Some studies have shown that mobile phones can cause damage to your brain since you are holding the transmitter so close to your head. Some people would advise you to not take long phone calls because of how many microwaves you were exposing yourself to. Other studies are inconclusive. So should you stop using your mobile phone? Decide for yourself! 

http://regainyourbrain.blogspot.com/2012/05/microwave-brain-damage-reality.html

Sources:

http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/ResourcesforYouRadiationEmittingProducts/ucm252762.htm
http://csep10.phys.utk.edu/astr162/lect/light/spectrum.html
http://www.darvill.clara.net/emag/emagmicro.htm