Measure the Speed of Light with a Chocolate Bar

All waves in the electromagnetic spectrum (light, x-rays, radio waves, microwaves, etc.) travel at the speed of light c=299,792,458 m/s. For any wave, the wavelength times the frequency yields the speed:

λν = c

Microwave ovens operate by creating a standing wave inside of them. Different parts of the wave cook better than other parts - imagine a three dimensional grid of evenly spaced dots where the cooking is best. The distance between these dots is the wavelength λ. Our microwave operates at a frequency of ν=2.45 GHz as most conventional ones do, so this yields a wavelength of

λ = c/ν = .122m or about 4.8 inches.

Of course, the spinning tray in the microwave is put there to offset the uneven cooking. Removing this tray, you can measure the speed of light by cooking a bar of chocolate for about a minute and half. If your bar of chocolate is big enough, there will be two circular areas where the chocolate has melted and the distance between their centers is about 4 inches. Multiplying that by the known frequency ν of the microwaves yields the speed of light!

http://wogsland.org/bradley

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Category:

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Tags:

• speed
• of
• light
• chocolate
• microwave

[crdrewsthesame]

If that little girl were like me, that chocolate bar would have disappeared faster than the speed of light. I also think it is wrong to put a perfectly good chocolate bar in the microwave oven.

[NickandFriendsCo]

its hermonine

[dontwantnochannel]

Please... teach your kid to use metric units.

[aws316]

Fake

[Hazzasproductions]

@crdrewsthesame if were that little girl i wouldve thrown that discusting hershey bar in the bin

[thybigballs]

@Apoc269 I think the girl learned something from it. Only a dumbass would agree with your post that this was the case here

[Patman128]

@crdrewsthesame She did it for science!

[Apoc269]

@tyrandan2 I'm not jealous, when i was this kid's age i was learning C++ and x86 assembly, on my own accord. My parents were community college educated and did nothing more than get me a computer and the internet, the learning came from my self. By 10 I was designing electric circuits and had an understanding and knowledge of application of RF theory.

I do agree parents teaching is a good catalyst to promote interest, but putting a kid in on the spot can also promote disinterest later in life

[azConsolidated]

BRILLIANT!

AhAHAhhahaHAHaHahahahahaHaHaHa­hahaHHha

[tyrandan2]

@Apoc269 I think it is good exposure for the children. Being in an academic environment or involved in applying scientific principles promotes critical, logical thinking and is a catalyst to further their interest in the field. I applaud this parent. And I think you're just jealous. Just sayin :) I'll admit though, I certainly am jealous too, because my parents never did such things when I was a kid.