Part 2/6:
At the heart of every microwave oven is the magnetron—a vacuum tube flanked by two permanent magnets. The magnetron's structure comprises a copper ring, flanked by these magnets, with a copper rod or filament made of tungsten positioned in the center. This setup forms a specialized environment where high-frequency electromagnetic waves are created.
The copper rod functions as the cathode, which is negatively charged, while the copper ring acts as the anode, positively charged. When the microwave is turned on, an electric current passes through the filament, heating it intensely. This heat causes electrons to boil off from the filament's surface due to the vacuum present inside the tube.