In my experience microwaves modulate how long the magnetron is on for, not the amount of power its using for each running cycle. eg 30 seconds on 50% will run at full power for a total of 15 seconds, and idle the other 15 seconds.
The two microwave ovens I owned are counterexamples to both these comments. The older on would precisely go 15s on and 15s off (when on 50% power) while the newer uses an inverter to actually reduce the microwaving power, and stays on 100% of the time.
In my experience microwaves modulate how long the magnetron is on for, not the amount of power its using for each running cycle. eg 30 seconds on 50% will run at full power for a total of 15 seconds, and idle the other 15 seconds.
Yeah but it is not 15 full seconds on and 15 full seconds off, it alternates much faster so the heat has the time to dissipate a bit.
Spoiler: that is also how LEDs dim and it works perfectly.
The two microwave ovens I owned are counterexamples to both these comments. The older on would precisely go 15s on and 15s off (when on 50% power) while the newer uses an inverter to actually reduce the microwaving power, and stays on 100% of the time.