LIGHT SPEED CALCULATION WITH CHOCOLATE AND MICROWAVE OVEN

Arcos J.,1, ∗ Benalcazar J.,1, † Borja C.,1, ‡ and Lasso E.1, §

1
School of Physical Sciences and Nanotechnology,
Yachay Tech University, 100119-Urcuqui, Ecuador
(Dated: August 2, 2017)
This report has the objective to demonstrate that the calculation of speed of light is possible
using a chocolate and a microwave oven. To met this, is important to know the microwave oven
function and basic parts of a general wave.

INTRODUCTION

Calculating the speed of light was a hard process back

in the 1700s. Several attempts had to be made in order to
get an appropriate measurement of c = 300000000(m/s).
A microwave oven emits electromagnetic waves which
travel at speed of light. In this report we measure the
speed of light, by measuring the microwave wavelength
on a chocolate bar and knowing the frequency at which
it works.
FIG. 1: Sketch of a general wave to identify wavelength,
amplitude and frequency. Where: λ = W avelength,
f = F requency and A : Amplitude. Image taken from:
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Frequency+(wave+motio

THEORETICAL BASIS f : Frequency A: Amplitude

The formula to determine the distance traveled is given
by:
Microwave Working

The microwave oven is a household appliance which is d = v.t (1)

used, in daily life, to warm foods. Every body is formed
for this case, the distance is represented as the wave-
by atoms and so, by molecules. The molecules are vibrat-
length, the velocity for electromagnetic waves is the speed
ing constantly, producing a kinetic energy which deter-
of light
mines the body temperature. This means that at higher
kinetic energy more temperature the body is going to
have. c = 3.(108 )(ms) (2)

A microwave oven increase the kinetic energy just of wa- and the time represents the period T (the time for
ter molecules that are present in the food. For our case, one oscillation), so the frequency is 1/T (Hz). Replacing
the microwave oven emits electromagnetic waves, with a these terms we have:
frequency of 2.45 GHz, which interacts with the water
molecules of body making them vibrate. So, these inter-
λ = c.T (3)
actions made for a certain time, make the temperature
rise, and now the food is hot[? ].

λT = c (4)

Wave Frequency λ.f = c (5)

In figure 1 we can see the parts of a 1D general wave. Also we have to know that the microwave warms up more
 2

in some points called antinodes, this is because the wave Replacing theese values into equation 5 we have:
is more energetic and has a higher amplitude. Figure 2
shows the point mentioned before. (0, 124m)(2.45.109 Hz) = 303.800.000(ms) (6)

with an error of:

Error = 1 − 303.800.0003.(108 ) = 1, 013% (7)

CONCLUSIONS

1. The speed of light can be determined by using a

microwave oven and a chocolate.

2. The frequency at which the oven works and the

time of the chocolate inside the oven is a important
FIG. 2: Representation of the nodes and antinodes location determinant of the experiment.
in the wave (Openstax, 2017)
3. The nodes and antinodes could be observed in the
chocolate.
RESULTS
4. Taking out the rotational part of the oven let us
perform the experiment and thus, seeing the hot
We put an entire Nestle chocolate bar inside a mi- spots in the chocolate.
crowave working at 2.45 Ghz. We took the wheels of
the microwave out and put the chocolate bar over the 5. Important physical concepts were learned by per-
microwave dish which was already over a cup. As we forming a simple experiment with simple objects.
can see in the figure 2, after putting the chocolate in the
microwave, the chocolate was warm and it have some rep-
resentative points in which it was warmer. Those points ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
are the antinodes of the wave, and we had to measure the
distance between them with a ruler. The measurement All authors acknowledge the support from Yachay Tech
was of 0,062 m ±0, 01m and to determine the wavelength, University and from PhD. Henry Pinto.
we have to multiply by 2 so λ = 0, 124m ± 0, 01m. Also
we have the frequency of the microwave that is 2.45 GHZ,
transformed to I.S. is 2.45. 109 Hz.
∗
Electronic address: jose.arcos@yachaytech.edu.ec
†
Electronic address: joselyn.benalcazar@yachaytech.
edu.ec
‡
Electronic address: carla.borja@yachaytech.edu.ec
§
Electronic address: esteban.lazo@yachaytech.edu.ec
[1] THE FREE DICTIONARY Fre-
quency (wave motion). (2002).
http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Frequency+(wave+m
[2] Explainthatstuff Microwave ovens. (2006).
http://www.explainthatstuff.com/microwaveovens.html
[3] Openstax Standing Waves and
Musical Instruments. (2017).
FIG. 3: Photography that represents the result of microwave https://cnx.org/contents/B5cOGS5C@15/Standing-
heating during 15 seconds.Photographed by Genesis Mendoza Waves-and-Musical-Ins