Induction Stove top?

[ahausheer]

I recently used an induction cook top for the first time and was amazed at how fast it heated up the pan, which got me wondering - if I got too close, which I imagine would basically be sitting on it, would it heat up the hardware inside me? 

[karlos.bell]

Yes I think. Maybe others can correct me.
By producing an alternating electromagnetic field due to the alternating current flowing in them, coils transfer energy from the power supply to the workpiece. The coil’s alternating electromagnetic field (EMF) creates an induced current (eddy current) in the workpiece, which generates heats due to I Squared R losses (core losses).
The coil’s EMF strength correlates with the current in the workpiece. This transfer of energy is known as the eddy current effect or transformer effect.
The chrom, cobalt are conductive like bearings
Titanium, Stainless steel less due to the ability to structure Eddie currents.
Some one maybe able to correct me on this. Interesting though.

[ahausheer]

Good info thanks! 

That induction stove top was able to boil about 7 cups of cool water in 45 seconds or so.  I imagine it would do incredible tissue and bone damage if someone accidentally got too close.  The range of induction only seemed to be an inch or two however.

I also noticed one pan in particular, a very cheap one, was completely immune to getting hot as it must have been a metal that didn't heat up due to the induced current. 

Surprised I can't find more info on this potential hazard.

[karlos.bell]

  Hi there is more conclusive evidence that if you have an elevated Chromium levels that this would be more risky. I would say the risk of the induction thing to be very small compared to the above.
Good observation though.

[hernanu]

Induction stove tops use a magnetic field to generate heat. 

The magnetic field is generated by a coil that has electricity running through it. The electricity generates the magnetic field.

When you put a metallic pot on the coil, it becomes part of the circuit through the magnetic field.  That's when the pot heats up.

Because the pot becomes magnetized through the process, a bit of the current passes into your body when you touch the pot. Think about rubbing your sock covered feet over a carpet.

EMF is another name for that electricity - electro magnetic fields.  In the 80's some research was published that possibly linked EMFs with cancer. 

At the time, they were classified as a 2b type carcinogen. That means that they thought they COULD cause cancer, but not proved. Since then, research has been done to find the association, but no corroborated causal relationship has been found.

EMFs exist from many sources in nature and our modern world. Anything, including the device you're reading this on, has EMF associated with it. So long as it uses electricity, it has EMF associated with it. Ying and Yang.

Any radiation has to fit into the electromagnetic spectrum. High frequency radiation is dangerous. That includes UV (Ultraviolet, think solar radiation), gamma rays and X Rays. These are classed as ionizing radiation, which can cause physical damage to the human body if exposed to a certain amount. 

As you go lower in the EM spectrum, the radiation becomes less and less of a problem. Lower amounts of energy is being emitted, like radio waves, which are low frequency and are non-ionizing radiation, which do not cause damage to the human body.

Non-ionizing frequencies can't enter human cells and affect them. They basically bounce off.

That doesn't mean they can't affect you. If you are near something that's emitting a huge amount of power at a low frequency, and you don't feel well, then just stepping away takes care of the problem.  Non-ionizing means you haven't suffered any cell damage and it's not cumulative.

Household appliances, including induction stove tops only emit non-ionizing radiation. So they can't permanently harm you.  A household current has approximately 200 amps of power running into them, so this is not enough power to generate EMFs that can damage the human body anyways.

The only exception is a microwave, and you have to be closer than two inches and it needs to leak (actually be broken in some way) in order to do any damage.

So I think this is safe to work with and not harmful, either in the short term or over time.