Physics Experiment Report

Experiment 6
Properties of Microwave

Department
Group
Student ID
Name
Group Member

:
:
:
:
:

25
B04504127

Teacher Assistant :
Professor
:
Experiment Date : 105/05/30

Purpose
Explore further properties of electromagnetic waves

Introduction

Microwaves is a kind of electromagnetic wave whose wavelength

are about 0.1-30 cm, much bigger than visible light, thus it is more
convenient to observe a number of electromagnetic phenomena
using microwaves. Microwaves are often used in our life, for
example microwave communication, microwave grill, simulcast of
TV, etc.

1.

Properties of microwaves as a wave:

a. Stationary wave: If we have only one reflective surface, under the
appropriate circumstances of distance, the incident wave that is
perpendicular to the surface will superimpose with the wave
reflected out that surface, creating stationary wave. The nodes
are clearly visible, and the distance between two adjacent nodes
is half of the wavelength.
b. Polarization: Electromagnetic wave consists of the vibration of
electric and magnetic fields. If an electric field is oscillating on
z=0 plane, then we cannot use a detector that only can detect
wave that oscillates on y=0 plane (see figure). The detector must
be rotated 90o around x-axis, so the wave can be detected.
Electromagnetic wave bounces off metal surface because
electromagnetic field induces the repetitive accelerated motion
of free electrons in metal, and it generates electromagnetic
wave. We use Hertz grate, because it is made of metal and have
slits width much smaller than the wavelength of microwave.
If the electric field of electromagnetic wave is parallel to the xaxis, the motion of free electron induced by the electromagnetic
field mentioned is not significant (b>>a)
Y

a
2.
Refractivity of prism
A beam of light changes its direction when passing through a prism.
Every incident angle has its corresponding emergence angle. has a
minimum that fits in the following equation (n and n are the
refractivity of air and prism respectively):

1
sin ( + min )
n'
2
=
n
1
sin
2
1=2

3. Total reflection and transmission

1. If we look at a beam of light emitted from an optically denser
medium (n > n) in an optically thinner medium (n), we may not
be able to see it, because electromagnetic wave may not always
get from optically denser medium into optically thinner medium.
If the incident angle is greater than the critical angle (C), then we
have total reflection.
2. In a circumstance where d is not much larger than , there will
still be fair amount of light that gets through the medium and
reach the eyes of observer.

Equipments

Microwave
generator

Receiv
er

Hertz
grate

Thin metallic
reflector

Isosceles prism made of

Fraxinus

Protract
or

1. Microwave generator : Produce a polarization of single frequency microwave

2. Receiver : For the detection diodide device
3. Isosceles prism made of Fraxinus : To illustrate dispersion and the
use of the angle of minimum deviation provides a good way to
measure the index of refraction of a material.
4. Protractor : A measuring instrument, typically made of transparent plastic or
glass, for measuring angles
5. Hertz grate & Thin metallic reflector : Act as frequency block

Procedure
A. Measure the wavelength of microwave using stationary
waves:

Plug in power,
DO NOT stare at
the flare for long
time.

Move the
reflector back
and forth until
you get 2nd
max (or min).

Set the
instruments
according to
principle 1.

move the
reflector back
and forth until
the receiver gets
max (or min)
signal.

Take note of both

of the distance
from reflector to
generator (l1 and
l2). measure
wavelength
(l1 l2 = / 2).

B. Observation of Polarization:

Set instruments
up according to
principle 2.
Rotate the horn
from 0o to 90 o.

We should get
V()=V(0)cos2.
Plot the size of
signal against
the graph.

Rotate the
Hertz grate
when the
received signal
is at minimum.
Plot signal vs
graph

Repeat without
Herzt grate.
When the signal
at max, put the
grate back on.
Rotate the grate
again.

Set the
instrument like in
procedure 1, but
with an extra
Hertz grate in
the middle.

C. Determine the reflectivity of prism using the minimum

deviation angle:

Place prism as
shown to make AB
= AC. Rotate the
receiver around C
until the signal
reached max

Check if 1=2. If
not, turn generator
a small angle
(around B to
change 1) and
repeat until it is.

Measure ,
substitute it into
the equation
mentioned above
to determine n'
(assume nair=1)

Experimental Data
I. Use a stationary wave to measure the wavelength of a microwave :
a) Reflector plate moves back and forth to make a maximum value
detector signal, record the reflected plate to the generator
distance l1= 80 cm
b) Reflector plate moves back and forth to make a maximum value
detector signal, record again the reflector plate to the generator
distance l2= 96 cm
c) Microwave wavelength = 2|l1-l2| = 3.2 cm

II. Observation of polarization : (every 10 degrees, measure and record

one time)
a) Without the Hertz gate (theoretically , when detecting the
maximum signal, we set the detector angle as 00
Angle (0)
00
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900

Signal ( A
400
390
380
350
310
250
180
100
30
0

b) Minimum signal detection and with Hertz grate : added the Hertz
grate, detect the minimum signal and set the hertz grate angle
as 00
Angle (0)
Signal ( A
0
0
0
100
40
200
90
300
120
400
130
0
50
140
600
100
0
70
50
0
80
20
900
0
c) Maximum signal detection with hertz grate : added the hertz
grate, detected the maximum signal and set the hertz grate
angle as 00
Angle (0)
Signal ( A
0
0
330
0
10
340
200
330
0
30
300
0
40
260
500
180
0
60
130
700
50
0
80
20
0
90
0
III. Using the minimum deviation angle to determine the reflective
index of the prism : (n = 1.5). First select a certain angle of

incidence 1. Then rotate the angle from the detector, up to we

have the maximum signal, record the angle of refraction
2Repeat the procedure, up to we get the same incidence and
refraction angle (About 30 to 35 degrees)
1 2= 3 = 360. The angle of the prim = 450
Measured minimum deviation angle min = (2 - ) = 27, The
refractive index of the prim n = sin[ + min)/2]:sin[ /2 = 1.900
IV. The phenomenon of total reflection and transmission (Be sure that
the receiver is receiving the signal of the max angle)
Distanced

Transmitted
182
signal
Reflected
2
signal
Transmitted
signal+
184
Reflected
signal

0.5

1.5

2.2

2.4

2.6

2.8

3.2

3.4

3.6

3.8

4.5

(cm)

159

112

81

42

30

28

26

53

53

60

63

64

59

53

52

51

(A)

98

169

175

220

229

239

252

227

227

223

199

184

179

75

172

171

(A)

257

281

256

262

259

267

278

280

280

283

262

248

238

228

224

222

(A)

Draw with the computer the transmission signal-distance

diagram from the advanced experiment and answer the question

Figure of Data
Distance-Transmitted signal

Error Analysis
There may be an error in reading the scale
The output of the microwave generator may be unstable, thus

may cause error in measurement

When rotating the Hertz grate, the angle might not be precise,
thus causing error in measurement
The angle of the generator and receiver (in respect to the prism)
may not be the same, thus causing error in measurement
We can reduce the error by carefully reading the scale, and before
we read the angle of the hertz grate, we can make a mark first so it
will be more precise

Questions
1. Describe the distribution of data points from
transmission signal-distance graph, and also explore
the reason.
With the information I acquire from this a piece of analysis, we can say that the
more separation of d is, the receiver will got less signal. For our situation, from 0
to 2 cm, it truly diminish the sign that is gotten, and from 2 to 5 cm the decline
pattern turn out to be moderate. Likewise in the diagram we can see that there are
little ups and downs, with this we can say that when we were doing the
investigation we truly can't have the demands aptitude to do this experiment,
which at last will make lapses to our outcomes from the analysis
2. Good conductor surface can smooth the entire microwave
reflection. What is the meaning of this in physics?
At the point when the conductor creates a wave, the
electromagnetic field of the free electrons of the conductor meets
expectations, and produces another wave. At the point when the
surface of the conductor is smooth, the reflected waves can be
concentrated, dissemination does not happen, and retain a
percentage of the shock brought about by the electron
discharges of the electromagnetic waves. Similarly reflected and
incident wave energy is not expended, so the conductor can
totally have a reflection of the microwave.
3. In the procedure B.2., theoretically V()=Vsin2cos2
(when there is a weak signal), but in the experiment we
cant obtain this. Explain why there is this difference
between the theoretical and experimental result.
At the point when the microwave achieves the Hertz grate, just X
component of the wave can pass through it.
V x =V 0 cos
Consequently, the receiver can just get V0 cos sin = V() = V.

4. Can you explain the use of microwave in the recent years?

Some of the widely known of the usage of microwave in the
recent years are point-to-point telecommunications, radar,
heating and power applications, and spectroscopy.
a. Point-to-point telecommunications
Microwave technology is widely utilized for point-to-point
telecommunications (i.e. non-telecast employments). Microwaves
are particularly suitable for this utilization since they are more
effectively centered into smaller shafts than radio waves,
permitting recurrence reuse; their relatively higher frequencies
permit wide transmission capacity and high information
transmission rates, and receiving wire sizes are littler than at
lower frequencies in light of the fact that reception apparatus
size is conversely corresponding to transmitted recurrence.
Microwaves are utilized as a part of shuttle correspondence, and
a great part of the world's data, television, and phone
correspondences are transmitted long separations by microwaves
between ground stations and interchanges satellites.
b. Radar
Radar uses microwave radiation to distinguish the range, speed,
and other qualities of remote items. Improvement of radar was
quickened amid WWII because of its awesome military utility.
Presently radar is broadly utilized for applications, for example,
airport regulation, weather forecasting, ships navigation, and
speed limit requirement. Microwaves can't be conveyed with
usable proficiency in customary transmission lines yet require
waveguide, such as a metal funnel. A Gunn diode oscillator and
waveguide are utilized as a movement indicator for automatic
door openers.
c. heating and power applications
A microwave oven passes (non-ionizing) microwave radiation at
a recurrence almost 2.45 GHz (12 cm) through nourishment,
bringing about dielectric warming principally by retention of the
vitality in water. Microwave ovens got to be basic kitchen
apparatuses in Western nations in the late 1970s, after the
improvement of less lavish cavity magnetrons. Water in the fluid
state has numerous atomic associations that grow the ingestion
top. In the vapor stage, secluded water particles retain at around
22 GHz, just about ten times the recurrence of the microwave
oven. Microwave heating is utilized as a part of modern
procedures for drying and curing items. Numerous semiconductor
preparing systems utilization microwaves to create plasma for
such purposes as reactive ions etching and plasmaenhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD). Microwave
frequencies regularly ranging from 110 140 GHz are utilized as
a part of stellarators and all the more outstandingly in tokamak
experimental fusion reactors to help heat the fuel into a plasma
state. The upcoming ITER thermonuclear reactor is required to

range from 110170 GHz and will utilize electron cyclotron

resonance heating (ECRH). Microwaves can be utilized to
transmit control over long separations, and post-World War II
exploration was done to analyze potential outcomes. NASA
worked in the 1970s and mid-1980s to research the conceivable
outcomes of utilizing solar power satellite (SPS) frameworks with
expansive sun powered clusters that would shaft shut down to
the World's surface through microwaves.Less-than-lethal
weaponry exists that uses millimeter waves to warmth a meager
layer of human skin to a terrible temperature to make the
focused on individual move away. A two-second burst of the 95
GHz centered bar warms the skin to a temperature of 54 C (129
F) at a profundity of 0.4 millimeters (164 in). The United States
Flying corps and Marines are presently utilizing this sort of
dynamic dissent framework in altered establishment.
d. Spectroscopy
Microwave radiation is utilized as a part of electron paramagnetic
resonance (EPR or ESR) spectroscopy, regularly in the X-band
region (~9 GHz) in conjunction ordinarily with magnetic fields of
0.3 T. This technique gives data on unpaired electrons in
chemical systems, for example, free radicals or transitional metal
ions, for example, Cu(II). Microwave radiation is likewise used to
perform rotational spectroscopy and can be consolidated with
electrochemistry as in microwave improved electrochemistry.

Appendix
Microwave radiation has lower frequencies and longer wavelengths
than visible light. Microwaves with certain wavelengths are
absorbed by water molecules and can be used for cooking. Water in
the food absorbs the microwave radiation, which causes the water
to heat up and cook the food. The water in living cells can also
absorb microwave radiation. As a result, they can be killed or
damaged by the heat released.
Microwave radiation can also be used to transmit signals such as
mobile phone calls. Microwave transmitters and receivers on
buildings and masts communicate with the mobile telephones in
their range. Certain microwave radiation wavelengths pass through
the Earth's atmosphere and can be used to transmit information to
and from satellites in orbit.

Reference
1.National Taiwan University General Physics Laboratory Manual 2015
2. http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/aqa_pre_2011/r
adiation/the_electromagnetic_spectrumrev5.shtml

Review
This experiment needs coordination between partners to be able to finish the

experiment faster. From this experiment I learn how to find theoretical formula
for the three curves of observation of polarization