INTRODUCTION:

Microwaves are sometimes considered to be very short radio

waves (highfrequency and high-energy radio waves).Some important
properties of microwaves are They are reflected by metal surfaces They
heat materials if they can make atoms or molecules in thematerial
vibrate. The amount of heating depends on the intensity of the
microwave radiation, and the time that the material is exposed to the
radiationThey pass through glass and plastics.They pass through the
atmosphere.They pass through the ionosphere without being reflected.
They are absorbed by water molecules, how well depends on the
frequency (energy) of the microwaves.Transmission is affected by wave
effects such as reflection, refraction, diffraction and interference.A
microwave frequency (energy) can be selected which is strongly absorbed
by water molecules, causing them to vibrate, and increasing their kinetic
energy. This effect can be used to heat materials containing water.

Wireless technology uses microwaves and radio waves to

transmit information. Advantages are we can receive phone calls and
email 24 hours a day,no wiring is needed to connect laptops to the
Internet, or for mobile phones or radio,and communication with wireless
technology is portable and convenient.

Microwaves can be used to transmit signals over large

distances if there are no obstacles between to reflect or absorb the beam.
Another way to say this is that the transmitter and receiver are in line of
sight This is why the transmitters are positioned high up, often on tall
microwave masts Microwaves are used to send signals to and from
satellites. The satellites can relay signals around the Earth. Microwaves
are used because they pass through the atmosphere and through the
ionosphere. The signals may be for television programmes, telephone
conversations, or monitoring the Earth.
 EXPERIMENT NO. 4
REFLECTION OF MICROWAVES

OBJECTIVE:
1. Define the conditions necessary for the reflection of microwaves.
2. Relate the concept of microwave reflection to specific materials.
3. Investigate the reflection of microwave signals.

EQUIPMENT AND MATERIALS NEEDED:

Microwave Communication Base
Microwave Transmitter
Microwave Receiver
1 narrow metal plate
1 plastic sheet
1 hardboard sheet
1 wide metal plate
1 support bracket with pegs

PROCEDURES:
a. Locate the Transmitter in position A and the Receiver in position B. Make sure the
power leads are connected correctly.
b. Assemble the narrow metal plate (approximately 3.5cm wide) into the support
stands, as in Figure 21.

a. Locate the metal plate in position SAT 3 on the base board. Take care to ensure the
metal plate is vertical.
b. Adjust the angel of the Transmitter and Receiver antennas so that they are both
directed at SAT 3.
 c. Switch on the power.
d. The Gain dial on the Transmitter should be adjusted so that the tone produces a
transmitter reading of 5.
e. Set the Receiver Gain switch to LOW. Set the Receiver Gain dial to its mid position.
Make sure the loudspeaker is OFF and the receiver is switched to DEMODULATOR.
f. Make any fine adjustment necessary to the Transmitter and Receiver antenna
positions, in order to get a maximum reading at the receiver signal strength meter. It
may be necessary to adjust the Receiver Gain if the signal is too low or too high.

Figure 22 below shows the system you have set up. For maximum reflection the
angle of incidence must equal the angle of reflection.

A. Even though the Receiver is not directly facing the Transmitter, a signal is being
received. Why do you think this is?
o The microwaves are being reflected by the Baseboard.
o The microwaves are being reflected by the plate.
o The receiver is directly receiving microwaves from the transmitter.
o The receiver is faulty.
B. Find the angle to which you have set the Transmitter antenna, in order that the
reflected microwaves signal is received by the Receiver.
Transmitter Angle:_______________
C. What would happen if the metal plate were moved slightly so that the angle of
incidence was no longer the same as the angle of reflection?
o The strength of the transmitted signal would gradually increase.
o The strength of the received signal would decrease.
o The strength of the received would remain unchanged.
o The strength of the received signal would remain increase rapidly.

The width of the reflector affects the amount of microwaves reflected. To prove this:
 a. With the narrow metal plate still in the SAT 3 position, set the Receiver gain so that the
Receiver signal strength meter reads approximately 1.
b. Remove the narrow metal plate from its stand and replace it with the wide metal plate.
c. Locate the wide metal plate in the SAT 3 position.

Record the Receiver meter reading

Reading:___________

D. What happened to the reading on the Receiver signal strength meter when the narrow
metal was replaces with the wide metal plate?
o It increased greatly
o It increased slightly
o It fell to zero
o It decreased slightly

Try this experiment, which shows that some materials reflect microwaves better than others:
a. Adjust the Receiver gain so that the signal strength meter reads 5 with the wide plate
being used as the reflector.
b. Remove the wide metal plate from its stand and replace it with the plastic sheet.
c. Locate the plastic sheet in the SAT 3 position.

Record the Receiver meter reading:

Reading:____________

d. Remove the plastic sheet from its stand and replace it with the hardboard sheet.
e. Locate the hardboard sheet in the SAT 3 position.

Record the Receiver meter reading in your student workbook.

Reading:____________

Switch the power off.

DISCUSSION

In this Experiment about Reflection of microwaves we first

construct the required setup for the transmitterin position A and the
Receiver at the position B and then assemble the narrow metal plate
into the support stand and place the narrow metal plate at the position
of SAT 3 on the base board then we adjust the angle of the transmitter
and the receiver so that they are both directed to the narrow metal
plate we turn on the power and set the gain dial of the transmitterto
the tone that produces a transmitter reading of 5 then we set the
receiver gain switch to LOW. Set the receiver gain dial to Mid position
and make sure the loudspeaker is off and the receiver is switched to
DEMODULATOR. Then we observed that the receiver is getting a signal
from the transmitter and it is being reflected by the narrow metal plate
on part C we moved the plate slightly and the angle of reflection affects
the strength of the signal because the received signal decreases as the
narrow metal plate angle is adjusted. Next is we replace it with a wide
metal plate and we observed that the receiver meter reading was much
more greater than the narrow metal plate next activity is to try
different materials and how it affectsthe reflection of the microwave
signals and we used plastic sheet and cardboard sheet position the
same at SAT 3 and we observed that the signal isn’t reflected by these
two materials.
CONCLUSION:

In this Experiment about Reflection of microwaves we

managed to learn and understand the conditions necessary for the
reflection of microwaves it can be used to transmit signals over large
distances if there are no obstacles between to reflect or absorb the
beam. also the concept of microwave reflecttion to specific materials
like metals it is a good material for reflecting the microwave signal
while plastic and cardboard plates microwaves pass through these
types of materials

REFERENCE:

- Anon, (2015). Radio waves & microwaves. [online] Available at:

https://revisionworld.com/gcse-revision/physics/electromagnetic-
radiation/radio-waves-microwaves [Accessed 2 Aug. 2019].

- Anon, (2014). Microwave Properties. [online] Available at:

https://sciencedemonstrations.fas.harvard.edu/presentations/mic
rowave-properties [Accessed 2 Aug. 2019].