Computer as a microwave oven?

Lorand · 03-01-2005, 10:56 PM

Just remembered the time I had a Pentium running at 75 MHz. It messed up my FM radio with interferences close to the frequency of 75 MHz, so the processor acted just like a radio antenna emitting at the frequency of the CPU clock.
But modern processors' clocks reached the microwave frequencies. What do you think: can we use computers to cook our meal? Or just our brain will get fried if spending too much time in front of them?

**jancz3rt** · 03-01-2005, 10:59 PM

Interesting thought. Dunno what the effects are but having a 24Db WIFI antenna close to me does not help either. And the power emitted is over 30Db which is a hell of a signal. Consider that.

JAN

Yeti · 03-01-2005, 11:10 PM

Hmmm.. interesting question. I doubt the computer processor would emmit any sizeable amount of energy as microwaves. Most of the power a CPU consumes is dissipated as heat. Most microwave ovens use somewhere around 1000 W (compared to ~70 W for a CPU) and I would assume that they have a bit higher conversion efficiency for electric power to microwave radiation.

Bobo · 03-01-2005, 11:23 PM

Microwaves put out micro WAVES. Doesn't matter what freq your proc is at, it emits heat wave, not micro waves

Lorand · 03-01-2005, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeti

Hmmm.. interesting question. I doubt the computer processor would emmit any sizeable amount of energy as microwaves. Most of the power a CPU consumes is dissipated as heat. Most microwave ovens use somewhere around 1000 W (compared to ~70 W for a CPU) and I would assume that they have a bit higher conversion efficiency for electric power to microwave radiation.

Yes, but cellular phones can fry your brain with even less power consumption.
I wonder if there's a Faraday-case for computers...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bobo

Microwaves put out micro WAVES. Doesn't matter what freq your proc is at, it emits heat wave, not micro waves

Heat wave (if such thing exists) does not cause radio interference...

Yeti · 03-01-2005, 11:30 PM

Quote:

Microwaves put out micro WAVES. Doesn't matter what freq your proc is at, it emits heat wave, not micro waves

Okay... that statement just shows how little you know about electromagnetic radiation and thermodynamics (not saying I'm an expert though). Do you think that a light bulb emmits only in the visible spectrum (okay, maybe a bad example, think flourecent not incandecent)? Also food for thought, is it coincidence that we are most sensitive to yellow light which the sun emmits at peak intensity? The entire electromagnetic spectrum is more or less random and some bands actually overlap.

Bobo · 03-01-2005, 11:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeti

Okay... that statement just shows how little you know about electromagnetic radiation and thermodynamics

I am only in 7th grade, but how would a CPU emit microwaves?

Quote:

Heat wave (if such thing exists)

I highly doubt that it does, but a CPU emits energy as heat. Whether or not is does as other things, I don't know. But I would imagine that even if it did emit microwaves, the quantity would be way too small to fry anything.....

BTW, most procs don't run at exactly 2.4GHz. Mine is 2.4113 (not OCed)

Yeti · 03-01-2005, 11:44 PM

Quote:

I am only in 7th grade, but how would a CPU emit microwaves?

Objects will emmit radiation in "all" wavelengths - there is just an intensity correlation/curve. For example lightbulbs are designed to emmit most radiation in the visible spectrum, x-ray machines in the x-ray spectrum etc.

Quote:

I highly doubt that it does, but a CPU emits energy as heat.

There is a difference betwen thermal energy and radiation

Quote:

Whether or not is does as other things, I don't know. But I would imagine that even if it did emit microwaves, the quantity would be way too small to fry anything.....

The point I was trying to make initially

Quote:

BTW, most procs don't run at exactly 2.4GHz. Mine is 2.4113 (not OCed)

Yes, but microwave range from 300 MHz to 300 GHz so I doubt computers will be outside of that range too soon

Lorand · 03-01-2005, 11:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Yeti

Also food for thought, is it coincidence that we are most sensitive to yellow light which the sun emmits at peak intensity?

A little correction: the human eye's peak sensitivity is at green, not yellow.

**Praetor** · 03-02-2005, 01:39 AM

Quote:

I am only in 7th grade

With a GPA of 4.5 right?

(what year did you start elementary school? I ask cuz I was in highschool when I was 13 and it was 13-14 for most of my classmates)

Quote:

Yes, but microwave range from 300 MHz to 300 GHz so I doubt computers will be outside of that range too soon

LMAO heehee

Quote:

A little correction: the human eye's peak sensitivity is at green, not yellow.

Bah picky picky ... he was only off by 60nm

03-01-2005, 10:56 PM	#1 (permalink)
Lorand VIP Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Bucharest Age: 41 Posts: 3,042	Computer as a microwave oven? Just remembered the time I had a Pentium running at 75 MHz. It messed up my FM radio with interferences close to the frequency of 75 MHz, so the processor acted just like a radio antenna emitting at the frequency of the CPU clock. But modern processors' clocks reached the microwave frequencies. What do you think: can we use computers to cook our meal? Or just our brain will get fried if spending too much time in front of them?

03-01-2005, 10:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
jancz3rt Moderator - F@H Guru Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Czech Republic Age: 23 Posts: 4,009	Lol Interesting thought. Dunno what the effects are but having a 24Db WIFI antenna close to me does not help either. And the power emitted is over 30Db which is a hell of a signal. Consider that. JAN __________________ A64 3700+ @ 2.65Ghz ::: 7300GT @ 600/1500 ::: 2GB RAM @ 440Mhz www.CZ3RT.com ::: FOLDING FOR THE GOOD OF MANKIND ::: F@H Team 44358

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03-01-2005, 11:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
Yeti VIP Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 1,300	Hmmm.. interesting question. I doubt the computer processor would emmit any sizeable amount of energy as microwaves. Most of the power a CPU consumes is dissipated as heat. Most microwave ovens use somewhere around 1000 W (compared to ~70 W for a CPU) and I would assume that they have a bit higher conversion efficiency for electric power to microwave radiation.

03-01-2005, 11:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
Bobo banned Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pittsburgh Age: 16 Posts: 6,623	Microwaves put out micro WAVES. Doesn't matter what freq your proc is at, it emits heat wave, not micro waves