History of the Microwave Oven (Ms. Olinde)
Timeline created by Olinde Grade 5
in Science and Technology
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| Event Date: | Event Title: | Event Description: | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
01/01/1946 | Microwave Energy Cooks! | As Dr. Percy Spencer was working on magnetrons (vacuum tubes), he finds that the chocolate bar in his pocket has melted. He realizes that microwave energy cooks food fast, |
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01/01/1947 | First Commercial Microwave | The first commercial microwaves were 5 1/2 feet tall, weighed more than 700 pounds, and cost about 5,000 dollars. It also had to be connected to plumbing. |
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01/01/1953 | Early 1950s: First Microwave Ovens for Homes | The first microwaves for home-use cost $1,295 and were in a cabinet the size of a refrigerator. |
|
01/01/1967 | First Countertop Microwave Oven | This model, put out in 1967, used less energy, cost under $500, and was much smaller. It was also safer than the models that came before it. |
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01/01/1971 | Federal Standards Put in Place | Standards and regulations set by the federal government fixed previous problems with microwaves leaking out of microwave ovens. |
| 01/01/1975 | Microwaves Cheaper, Do More, and Sell | During the 1970s, microwaves became increasingly inexpensive and were able to do more than previous models. Models were also air-cooled and did not require plumbing. By 1975, more microwave ovens were sold than gas ranges. | |
| 01/01/1976 | More Microwaves than Dishwashers | By 1976, more households had microwaves than dishwashers. 60%, or about 52 million households, had microwave ovens this year. | |
| 01/01/2011 | Almost All Homes Have Microwaves | Today, more than 95% of households have a microwave. |
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