Tech WondersPlay

Energy, Heat & MotionElectrical Engineering

The Cooktop That Stays Cold

Induction heats the pan directly with a changing magnetic field

A pot of water boils on a sheet of newspaper, and the paper never catches fire. What kind of stove does that?

You'll find out

  • What heats on an induction cooktop
  • Why a glass bowl stays stone cold
  • The fridge-magnet test for pans

Why it matters

Induction is replacing flames and glowing rings in kitchens. Knowing how it works tells you which pans to buy.

About 3 min6 interactive slides · 5 questionsLesson 148 · Zone 17

Play this lesson

Free to play in your browser or on iPhone

More in this zone

  1. 145Exponential GrowthRice on a ChessboardDouble a grain on every square and you'd bankrupt a kingdom
  2. 146Quantum MechanicsSchrödinger's Cat Was a JokeThe famous cat was meant to show how absurd the idea sounded
  3. 147Exponential GrowthThe Lily Pad RiddleIf lilies double daily and cover the pond on day 30, when was it half full?
  4. 149Search EnginesHow Google Ranked the WebA page matters when pages that matter point to it
  5. 150Text EncodingA Is 65Every letter you type is secretly a number
  6. 151Congestion ControlThe Internet's Traffic JamNetworks slow themselves down on purpose to avoid collapse
  7. 152Game DesignWhy Mario Has a MoustacheIn a 16×16 sprite, a moustache was easier to draw than a mouth
  8. 153AlgorithmsTwice the Data, Four Times the WaitHow fast a method slows down is what matters