Most people would prefer to have toast with their breakfast. Toast goes with almost everything, be it a piping hot cup of tea or a pair of sunny side-ups. But the best part about toast is that it is so easy to make; with just five minutes of work, you are good to go.
Furthermore, this process is made more accessible by the presence of a toaster.
Heat is usually transmitted through convection, conduction, or radiation. In toasters specifically, heat is transferred specifically through radiation. The toaster has coils that emit infrared rays, warming up the bread and turning it into toast.
Since no fluids are present and the toast does not come into contact with the rods, convection and conduction are impossible.
To understand the toasting process in more detail, let’s delve deeper into each process.
What Is Convection?
Convection is a form of heat transfer in which heat is transmitted through fluid or gas. When the fluid/gas is heated, the warmer parts of the fluid/gas rise and are replaced by the cooler regions. This results in the creation of convection currents which inevitably end up heating the whole thing.
What Are Some Examples Of Convection?
One prevalent and everyday example of convection is the act of boiling water. Here the heat from the stove warms up the water at the bottom of the pot, causing it to rise. That water is replaced by cooler water, creating a circular motion.
What Is Radiation?
Radiation is a process of heating using electromagnetic waves. It does not require a medium to travel in and is usually emitted from infrared rays. Heat transfer through radiation is quicker than heat transfer in convection. Radiation heat transfer is also done without involving particles, in contrast to convection heating.
Common Examples of Radiation?
A very common example of radiation is heat generated by a heater. The red coils of an electric heater radiate infrared rays that end up warming the room. No medium is required to help them travel.
How Does A toaster Work?
Now that we have explained the science of it all to you. It is easier to understand the functioning of a toaster. The toaster is a device that has inbuilt coils, typically made from a metal alloy such as nichrome. These coils are heated up and turn red. They do not come into contact with the bread.
Instead, the coils emit infrared radiation, and that radiation travels through space and heats your bread.
The Bottom Line
Doing a little research about how you cook your favorite breakfast can add so much more to your knowledge. Toasters are an essential accessory to every kitchen, but many people may be unaware that toasters use radiation to make your bread brown and crispy.
Convection is impossible since no fluids are present, and the coils barely touch the toast. So the next time you put your toast in a toaster, you will know exactly what fate has in store for your piece of bread!
