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. Our 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. 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, v = f We can solve for the frequency or wavelength of any EM wave given one of the two variables.

II. METHODOLOGY
Materials:

1. 100 g pack of marshmallow

2. 3. 4. Microwave oven Ruler Plastic microwavable dish

The marshmallows were evenly laid out throughout the surface of the flat rectangular microwaveable dish. The rotating component of the microwave oven was removed before the dish was placed inside. We wanted to measure the standing waves produced by the microwave. The rotation in the microwave would make this impossible. We heated the marshmallows at one minute interval until we observed melting in some areas. We removed the dish from the oven and measured the distance between the burnt areas. These procedures were repeated. We took note of the frequency and wavelength, double of the value of the measured distance of the microwave. With these data, we calculated the speed of light.

Figure 1. Marshmallows before it were heated.

Figure 2. After 1 minute

Figure 3. After 3 minutes

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 the 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
Giancoli, Douglas, Physics for Scientists and Engineers with Modern Physics, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc., 2009. p.397-412 Stauffer, Robert Jr., Finding the Speed of Light with Marshmallows - A Take-Home Lab, University of Maryland Department of Physics, Web, Sep. 16, 2010.