Determining the Speed of Light Using a Microwave Oven

Yvette Bautista, Robin James Enclona, Hannah Joy Hipolito National Institute of Physics, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City 1101, The Philippines

Abstract
Any electromagnetic wave under the electromagnetic spectrum such as visible light and x-rays can ideally be used to calculate the value of the speed of light, 299,792,458 m/s. Microwaves, with frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz, fall under this spectrum. In this experiment, a microwave oven, which uses microwaves, was used to heat a microwaveable dish of white marshmallows. The frequency of the microwave oven was noted and the distances between the burnt areas on the dish of marshmallows were measured using a ruler. These values were then used to obtain the calculated speed of light, which was close to the constant. .

I. INTRODUCTION
Experiments on the speed of light always involve the tedious works of mirrors and stellar observations. The study of it would be easier with the use of a microwave oven. Just like the light, microwaves are a form of electromagnetic wave, but we cannot see them because they are beyond the visible spectrum. This is how the microwave oven works. It creates standing waves inside its chamber. It cooks unevenly due to a pattern of standing waves that form inside the oven chamber. These waves are stationary in space with antinodes arise from constructive interference. The pattern creates an array of hotspots throughout the oven's volume. Electromagnetic waves in the electromagnetic spectrum all have the same velocity in the same medium. This common speed is the speed of light, c. By using the equation given by the transverse wave model, c = f, The frequency or wavelength of any EM wave can be solved given one of the two variables. An experiment similar to this has been done in the past by Tuan Ahamed Cassim. He used pancakes instead of marshmallows. A dish of pancakes were laid out inside a microwave oven with its rotating components removed. Using the experimental wavelenght and the given frequency, the value of the speed of light was verified.

II. METHODOLOGY
The white marshmallows were evenly laid out throughout the surface of the flat rectangular microwaveable dish. As shown in Figure 1, the rotating component of the microwave oven was removed before the dish was placed inside. This is necessary in measuring the standing waves produced by the microwave. The marshmallows were then heated at a one-minute interval until melting was observed in some areas. The dish was removed from the oven and the distances between the melted areas were measured using the ruler. These steps were repeated five times.

Using the value of microwave oven and the of the value of the the burnt areas, the speed of

the frequency of the wavelength, which is double measured distance between light was obtained.

Figure 1: Marshmallows laid out on the dish before heating

Figure 2: Marshmallows after one minute of heating

Figure 3: Marshmallows after three minutes of heating

III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Data Table 1: Distance between the burnt areas on the dish of marshmallows Trial Distance (cm) 1 8.00 2 6.00 3 6.00 4 5.00 5 5.00

Five trials were performed and an average distance of 6.00 cm was measured between the melted areas. The wavelength of the microwave was then obtained by doubling the average distance measured. The value of the speed of light was then obtained using c = f, where c is the speed of light, f is the frequency of the microwave and is the calculated wavelength. Data Table 2: Values of the wavelength, frequency and calculated speed of light Wavelength 1.2 x 10-1 cm Frequency of Microwave 2.45 x 109 Hz Calculated Speed of Light 2.94 x 108 m/s The calculated speed of light was 2.94 x 108 m/s, which is near the actual value of the speed of light, 2.99 x 10 m/s. The percent deviation is 1.67%.
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IV. CONCLUSION:
Through this simple setup, without the employment of mirrors or stellar observation which are both tedious to use, using just a microwave, we have experimentally computed for the speed of light. It was also confirmed that the value of speed of light is not inherent only to visible light, but to all EM waves.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The group thanks the physics 72.1 laboratory professor, Professor Roxas, and the National Institute of Physics for providing the microwave oven and the venue used for the experiment.

REFERENCES
1. Giancoli, Douglas, Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2009. p.397-412 2.Stauffer, Robert Jr., Finding the Speed of Light with Marshmallows - A Take-Home Lab, University of Maryland Department of Physics, Web, Sep. 16, 2010. 3. Cassim, Tuan Ahamed, Measuring the speed of light using a microwave oven, www.nowwhattodo.com, 2010