Department of Energy Argonne National Laboratory Office of Science NEWTON's Homepage NEWTON's Homepage
NEWTON, Ask A Scientist!
NEWTON Home Page NEWTON Teachers Visit Our Archives Ask A Question How To Ask A Question Question of the Week Our Expert Scientists Volunteer at NEWTON! Frequently Asked Questions Referencing NEWTON About NEWTON About Ask A Scientist Education At Argonne Microwave Action and Color 
Name:  Anil
Status:  educator
Age:  40s
Location: N/A
Country: N/A
Date: 2000-2001
Question:
In a microwave oven does a black colored cup heat faster than a blue or red cup?

Replies:
Anil,

Why not try this and report back on the results, and, if there is a heating difference, try to explain the cause(s)?

Thanks for using NEWTON!

Ric Rupnik

Color as we see it relates to light with frequencies in the visible range. Something that absorbs all visible light may reflect almost all microwave light. It depends on things like the material that the surface is made of. Since our eyes only respond to visible light, color as we see it tells us nothing about what happens to microwaves.

If you know whether a particular object reflects or absorbs microwaves well, then you can make a prediction. Material that absorbs the microwaves well heats up much more quickly than material that reflects microwaves well.

Kenneth Mellendorf

No. The microwave energy is absorbed primarily by the water. The cup has very little to do with it. Even if the cup did impact the heating it would not be through its color. The color is determined by the absorption of visible light. The microwave energy is -- well it's microwave, not visible. All cups made of the same material will have the same microwave absorption characteristics. The color of the glaze will have no impact.

Greg Bradburn


Click here to return to the Physics Archives

NEWTON is an electronic community for Science, Math, and Computer Science K-12 Educators, sponsored and operated by Argonne National Laboratory's Educational Programs, Andrew Skipor, Ph.D., Head of Educational Programs.

For assistance with NEWTON contact a System Operator (help@newton.dep.anl.gov), or at Argonne's Educational Programs

NEWTON AND ASK A SCIENTIST
Educational Programs
Building 360
9700 S. Cass Ave.
Argonne, Illinois
60439-4845, USA
Update: June 2012
Weclome To Newton

Argonne National Laboratory