What are microwaves?
Well, as the name implies, a microwave
is a wave. A wave is something that transports energy. For
example, a tsunami is a wave that travels through water and carries the
energy of an earthquake out at sea to the shore.
http://www.itc.nl/library/tsunami.asp#free_images
A microwave is a special kind of wave called an electromagnetic
wave. These waves do not need a medium, like water, to travel
in. They can carry energy even in a vacuum, like outer
space. The sun produces light waves (which your eyes can see),
and ultraviolet waves (which your skin can "see"; UV waves give people
sunburns) that travel to the earth. The microwave oven produces
microwaves that heat up food.
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