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Microwave Standing Wave Map (2D)

Interactive 2D top-down map of the standing electromagnetic wave inside a microwave oven cavity: see the real hot and cold spots at antinodes and nodes, move the food, and toggle the turntable to see why it evens out heating.

Physics & Mechanics2DModerate60 FPS📱 Mobile-adapted⇄ 3D version

This top-down 2D companion to the 3D microwave oven simulation renders the actual physics a magnetron creates inside the cavity: reflections off the metal walls build a standing electromagnetic wave with fixed hot spots (antinodes) and cold spots (nodes) spaced roughly half a wavelength apart. Drag the food anywhere on the map and hover the cursor to read the local heating rate, toggle the power level to scale the magnetron's output, and switch the turntable on or off to see why real ovens spin the plate — sweeping food through the fixed pattern averages out the hot and cold spots into far more even cooking.

⚙ Under the hood

A top-down 2D map of the standing electromagnetic wave inside a microwave cavity, showing real hot and cold spots at antinodes and nodes, with movable food and a turntable toggle.

Microwave HeatingStanding WavesElectromagnetismDielectric Heating

2D · HTML5 Canvas 2D · 60 FPS target · runs fully client-side, no install