The Science Oven

Before the meeting:

1. Review the owner’s manual for the microwave oven you will demonstrate.
2. Learn how a microwave oven works by watching the YouTube video “How a Microwave Oven Works.” (duration 5 minutes 11 seconds)
3. Set up the meeting so Cub Scouts can easily see the microwave oven.

During the meeting:

1. Gather the Cub Scouts and inform them that for this Adventure they will use a microwave oven.
2. Explain what a microwave oven is and how it works. Early microwave ovens in the 1950’s was called science ovens and used only commercially. Residential microwaves were introduced in 1967. A microwave oven uses small waves of energy to make water molecules move. When water molecules move, they create energy which generates heat. Unlike other methods of cooking where heat is applied from the outside to cook the food to its inside, a microwave oven will cause the water molecules to heat all parts of the food at the same time.
   The more moisture a food has the quicker and more effective the microwave oven will cook the food. This also means that when the water molecules heat up, they can turn into steam causing moisture to leave the food that can cause it to become dried out when cooking.
3. Tell the Cub Scouts to always have an adult supervise them when using a microwave.